Michelle Hennessy – News Writer
Having students participate in the selection process for a new provost is key to Southern’s success, according to SCSU student John Eno after attending an open forum with the provost finalists.
“These sorts of events are actually getting a lot more popular,” said Eno. “I think students are starting to realize that this is how we can move forward and change for the better and by actively getting involved we can get things done.”
SCSU held open forums for students with the finalists that have been chosen to be the next provost for students to ask the candidates questions.
During the meetings students were able to voice their concerns about certain issues Southern is facing, asking how each candidate might tackle the issue, such as the number of adjunct professors.
“I don’t think adjunct faculty is necessarily a bad thing,” said candidate Barbara Feldman Ph.D. “They work in the field and have connections within their field. It’s about having quality faculty, whether it’s full-time or adjunct.”
Candidate Bette Bergeron from Southern Illinois University said quality teaching is also important when discussing the size of classrooms.
“Just because a class is smaller it doesn’t mean it will be any better than a large class because it really comes back to the quality of teaching staff. Of course there are some classes that can’t be big just because of the nature of the program, so it’s important to strike a balance,” said Bergeron.
The candidates also understood the importance to get students motivated not only in the classroom environment, but also getting involved outside.
“Students should not just see campus as their whole world,” said Feldman. “One of the ways I think this can be done is by bringing ‘off campus’ to ‘on campus’ through guest speakers and things like that to engage students and then give them the opportunity to travel.”
Ralph Mueller, Ph.D., another contestant for the position, also spoke of the opportunities that can arise from travelling.
“I came over to the States when I was 19 intending to stay for a year for education,” said Mueller. “30 something years later and I’m still here. Diversity relates to a lot of different things. Being able to come from Europe to this country really opened my eyes to different things. It helped me see a whole new world and had a big impact on my life, so I would definitely encourage any student to do the same.”
The balance of Liberal Arts programs and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) were also hot topics at the forum.
“It’s not to say that the STEM field is not important, they generate money and bring in grants,” said Feldman. “I try not to play the game of either or. I think anything this institution can do to raise its profile and raise the bar should be done. But by lifting one area you’re lifting the other two so it’s important to strive for excellence in them both.”
Though certain areas need to be addressed, Falcon praised Southern’s overall level of quality of education.
“Being at SCSU puts you at a real advantage,” said Feldman. “You have faculty that are so committed to students and their education. It is a great place to work, in an institution like this. I think some things could be addressed, like graduation rates and helping students move forward throughout college.”
Though Mueller points out how graduating on time is also up to the individual student.
“Faculty need to work closely with students but at the same time, it’s definitely a two-way street,” said Mueller. “Students need to be able to plan ahead and say ‘I want to graduate in five, four, three-and-a-half years’ or whatever the case may be.”
While Bergeron highlighted the importance of students taking an active role in their academic progress, she also said as a public school, Southern needs to be able to get students graduating in four years.
“An undergraduate needs to be able to graduate in four years,” said Bergeron. “As a state university it is our moral obligation to ensure students are able to get into the work place as soon as possible to put into use what they have learned here. That would definitely be a priority for me.”
Though Bergeron said there are certain areas she would look at improving, such as graduation rates, she said Southern would be a place she would very much like to work.
“Just by looking around campus one thing pops to mind – it’s home,” said Bergeron. “I look around at the dorms and at campus as a whole and there seems to be a very caring, homely community at Southern with so many different opportunities for students to get involved and advance on to great things.”
