One of the many new initiatives of the administration of Southern University, is directly addressing and resolving student concerns.
Taking steps to fulfill this commitment, Executive Vice President/Executive Vice Chancellor, Dr. James H. Ammons has begun to host a series of “Fireside Chats” located in areas that are central to students, with the assistance of his Special Assistant, Sharon Saunders.
The first event was held Thursday, March 7 at 6 p.m. in S.V. Totty Hall, a women’s dormitory located at the back of campus.
Originally planned for February 26, the events’ attendance resembled the rescheduling, and simultaneous occurrence of student-led programs. The lobby of the dormitory was at capacity, nonetheless, with students, staff, faculty, and administration alike.
Among administrative attendees was Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Bijoy K. Sahoo, Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, Benjamin Pugh, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Dr. Kimberly Scott, Chief of Staff, Dr. Katara Williams, and a few others.
This is not the first program geared towards hearing student concerns, as the SGA Senate and The Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management hosted a Safety Town Hall Meeting at the end of February as, “an introduction to safety measures the university has put in place and a platform to express your questions and concerns with administration.”
According to sophomore Political Science major, KenTravius Coleman, this form of support from administration has been present since the beginning of his collegiate career.
“Working with Men’s Federation and other organizations, [acknowledging student concerns] is all that we did alongside administration my entire freshman year, and now,” Coleman said.
Student concerns included financial aid, dormitory living, academic matters, dining hall discrepancies, SUSLA experiences, and campus safety, to name the most pertinent.
Given the opportunity to submit questions to be addressed, students were able to receive “office specific” feedback, tailored to their specific questions, from knowledgeable administrators.
Responses entailed diverse solutions, including, “plans for there to be no registration process in Fall 2019, by way of handling registration prior [in the spring semester],” in reference to student concerns about financial aid and acquiring classes for upcoming semesters.
Faculty, staff, and administration that were present had one goal in mind: to hear the concerns of students, and alleviate them. Chief of Staff, Dr. Katara Williams expressed the vitality of this by asserting that, “Southern University is the educational enterprise and economical engine of [the] community,” meaning the population served must be able to maintain that by way of a well-rounded experience.
Assuring students their concerns would not go unheard, Dr. Ammons concluded, “We can fix everything addressed here tonight, and you have our commitment to so do.”
The next Fireside Chat with Dr. James H. Ammons will take place on Tuesday, March 19 at 6 p.m. in Shade Hall.
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Fiery Conversations: SU Administration Responds to Student Concerns
March 11, 2019
Executive Vice President/Executive Vice Chancellor Dr. James H. Ammons gives a brief introduction of himself and his administrative counterparts during the “Fireside Chat” in S.V. Totty Hall on Thursday, March 7.
(Jacqueline Morgan/DIGEST)
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