The many questions students had about the proposed student apartments and community center were answered at Guilford’s second Town Hall Meeting.
This second meeting focused on clarifying questions, as opposed to the controversial conversations of policy changes that occurred at the first Town Hall Meeting.
Senior Liz Nemitz facilitated both the first and the second Town Hall Meeting, the second of which took place on Oct. 5 from 7 to 8 p.m. in Boren Lounge
Only 10 people were present for the moment of silence that began the meeting, contrasting with previous meeting’s 28. Anne Lundquist, Dean for Campus Life, and Randy Doss, Vice President for Enrollment and Campus Life, remained present for the entire meeting. Jerry Boothby, Vice President for Finance and Administration, joined the meeting to talk about the new student apartments and community center. Steve Shapiro, Associate Academic Dean, also attended the second half of the meeting for his presentation on the proposed new class schedule.
“There were less people, but people were busy. I was not on administrators to come like I was last time,” said Nemitz.
Lundquist set the meeting in motion as she passed out a fact sheet on the proposed new apartment and community center. Lundquist informed the meeting that “the concept (of the new dorm) began a few years ago, but it seriously began last spring.”
After meeting with 15 different developers, Guilford decided to use Capstone. The Capstone website, www.capstonedevelopment.com, will be updated and accessible, allowing the general public to remain continuously informed on the process as building progresses.
A three-person student committee created by Campus Life, works to keep the developers informed about student concerns and issues regarding the developments. Katie Taylor, sophomore and member of the student committee, represented the committee at the meeting.
As questions arose, Taylor asked, “Why are students not being brought in until now?”
Lundquist said, “This began as a serious option this summer.”
Lundquist encouraged students to come speak to the developers, who were available on campus on Oct.7 to receive student feedback and answer questions.
“We know it will be about 7,000 square feet, but we are not married to any ideas,” said Lundquist. For this reason she encouraged students to express their ideas and concerns about the new development to both the student committee and the developers.
Due to time limitations, the discussion then moved to the proposed new class schedule.
Shapiro used a visual aid to demonstrate what the blocks of time for the new class schedule would look like. Students at the meeting agreed that the aid provided clarification.
The new schedule would allow more community time for things such as Community Senate meetings, faculty meetings and student art exhibit openings. This sort of community time would provide convenience for athletes, students with labs and others with complicated schedules.
The new schedule also allows both classes that require more meetings for shorter time periods and other classes that require longer time periods, but less frequent meetings. Shapiro’s major concern is, “Does the new schedule add flexibility or does it detract from it?”
Larger forums are scheduled in order for Shapiro to answer these questions and allow for student input on the schedule.
About Shapiro’s presentation Nemitz said, “I think it has been very helpful.”
Senior Katie Doom said, “I’ve been to meetings on the new dorm, so there was really no new information, but the new schedule was very helpful. I’ll definitely come to others (Town Hall Meetings).”
“I don’t think it is necessary that a lot of people always come. This is a place where discussions can take place as issues come up. We don’t have to have a heated discussion every time,” said Nemitz.