Community Affairs Board lets students voice opinions
Greyson Whitaker, SGA president, presents a commemorative plaque to Dr. Nido Qubein, HPU president, at January’s Community Affairs Board meeting in honor of Qubein’s 10-year anniversary. Photo by: highpoint.edu
By Anne Davey, Opinion Editor //
As the spring semester began and High Point University once more filled with students and bustling activity, the Student Government association reconvened for its Community Affairs Board meeting.
Held on Jan. 15, the CAB serves as an opportunity for campus leaders and the student body to interact with the leaders of HPU’s administration.
Feedback from these Community Affairs Board meetings is readily taken, with changes often implemented in the next working day. While some projects are more long-term, these meetings are responsible for such well-received changes as breakfast at the Point and improved to go ordering systems campus-wide.
The members of the most recent panel were familiar faces: Paul Kittle, vice president for student life; Dennis Carrol, provost; Steve Potter, vice president for facilities and auxiliary operations; Jeff Karpovich, chief of security; and Chris Dudley, vice president for development and community relations.
This year, HPU celebrates the 10th anniversary of President Nido Qubein. In addition to regular business, the meeting featured a tribute to Qubein.
Greyson Whittaker, SGA president, gave a speech in Qubein’s honor and presented a framed picture of the Tree of Life statue outside Roberts Hall. The picture was adorned with signatures of senators and students, all members of the HPU family expressing their gratitude for Qubein’s service to the High Point community.
Along with the usual comments on the speed of dining locations and meal times, improved trolley schedules and additional parking, came many HPU improvements for the upcoming year.
The construction on Centennial Square II is heavily underway, with the new housing slated to open for the 2015-2016 academic year. I will include nearly 400 beds.
HPU is also diving head first into many new science programs. While some programs, like the Physicians Assistant program, are already underway with their inaugural classes, others like physical therapy and pharmacy are right on the horizon.
A school of undergraduate sciences will be completed in the upcoming calendar year and elevate HPU to a level it has not seen before.
There seems to be an endless flow of exciting news and improvements for HPU, whose staff and faculty are always looking for ways to better the university.
The Community Affairs Board is a recent addition to SGA, giving students and senators direct access to the leaders of each university department. The willingness of the staff to provide insight was evident as they discussed exciting additions like the new science programs beginning each year, a new and improved trolley system, changes to the Center for Student Success to make it more user friendly and an impressive new basketball arena.
Suggestions on dining options, questions about homesteading and tribute ideas for exceptional staff members were readily taken and answered.
The Community Affairs Board sheds light on a distinct aspect of life as a student here at HPU: students opinions matter. Student Government provides a direct link for the student body to the top leaders and a chance for people to impact positively the HPU community.