Jackson LaMar — News Writer
Students need to be heard, there will always be issues that need to be solved and if there is only one person in an office almost nothing will be
done, so another pair of hands is always welcomed.
Terri Bennet is the new Associate Dean for STEM and will work in the office of arts and science to be an extra hand for students for when Interim Dean of art and science, Bruce Kalk, would be busy.
Kalk explained the importance of having Bennet on staff and how their office can improve with efficiency.
“It adds another person to the office to help with student issues,” said Kalk.
“It means that there will be another eye on issues that are important like recruitment.”
Kalk also said the plan now that Bennet is in the office and it includes fundraising money for the school.
“The department chairs are meeting more frequently with the associate deans and that’s enabling me to do some other things that will have a positive impact,” said Kalk. “One of the things that deans do is work with donors, many of whom are alumni of the university, and a lot of those donors are really excited with endowing scholarships for students.”
Kalk will have more time to visit and work with donors since Bennet is helping relieve his workload, which could help the School of Arts and Sciences receive more scholarship opportunities for its students.
One idea that was suggested two years ago was to split the school into the School of Arts and the
School of Science into two separate entities. This idea was put on pause because faculty did not want to split up.
“That was something we have considered two years ago, and decided to put a pause on it,” Kalk said. “We got a structure that really isn’t changing, but internally it is.”
Some students also believe that keeping the schools together, as opposed to having two different schools, is better. one such student is junior, Jesse Mullen, An interdisciplinary studies major focusing in communications and journalism.
“I think they’re fine grouped together,” Mullen said “I think it functions fine the way it is now.” STEM is an acronym standing for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
It’s designed to “develop, strengthen, and promote interdisciplinary research, education, and outreach for SCSU and the southern Connecticut region.” according to the website, “It is a program that is not too unfamiliar for education major, Olivia Coppola, a freshman.
“In middle school it [STEM] was a class for kids who wanted to be in that class, you weren’t just placed it in,” Coppola said. “It was mainly for kids who wanted to focus in high school science and math.”
Although Coppola did not have any personal problems with talking to the school of arts and science, she is all for the minor internal changes inside the office.
“I do think it’s awesome” Coppola said “because honestly the more help for those kids that need to be heard the better.”
Bennet started on Aug. 30, this semester, although one person doesn’t seem like a lot but this one person is what Kalk and his staff said they needed to become more efficient.
There doesn’t have to be a massive change in the system to improve the system.