Students address pressing issues at SGA community affairs meeting

By Ryan, January 28, 2016

By Eric Wallace // Staff Writer

High Point University’s Student Government Association held its first Community Affairs meeting of the semester on Jan. 14. The meeting was a chance for students, both members and non-members of SGA, to have their questions and concerns about the university addressed by faculty.
The panel of faculty members was comprised of Provost Dennis Carroll, Senior Vice President of Student Life Gail Tuttle and Vice President of Facilities Stephen Potter. In addition to a Q&A session with these high-ranking administration officials, the meeting was also a chance for them to make announcements about changes to the university. Among these were the addition of majors and academic programs.
For example, Provost Carroll announced the establishment of majors in public health, nutrition and food sciences. Biology majors can minor in neuroscience for those who want more hands on work with Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients as well as studying the illnesses. Other ideas included the Computer Science Department becoming separate from the School of Arts and Sciences and receiving a full time director, as well as computer engineering and mechanical engineering being added as majors as spin-offs of the computer science major.
One of the potential changes most exciting for students that the administration is considering is self-scheduled final exams. This system was inspired by a similar concept at Davidson College where students can schedule their exams on days that are convenient for them.
“You could take four one day, four over four days, two a day, it’s up to the student,” Carroll explained. This would “alleviate problems in the current exam schedule where students need to go home early or have to study abroad.”
A system like this would demonstrate the enormous amount of trust that the administration puts in students. While a popular concept, this idea is still up to a year and a half away from being implemented. Carroll estimated it arriving at HPU in the spring of 2017.
Other announcements pertained to the hiring of new faculty members, given that 35 new faculty members have been hired this semester. HPU is also in the process of hiring a full time director for the honors program as well as a Title IX director, whose responsibilities would include leading anti-sexual assault programs and investigate cases of sexual assault or harassment.
“They would work to educate students on sexual assault,” Tuttle said.
During the Q&A, the questions primarily pertained to the new grading system, academic building hours, cheaper housing for honors students, standard tier one housing on campus for upperclassmen and expanding gluten free food options in the dining halls.
The goal of the Community Affairs meetings is for students to be able to communicate their thoughts and opinions to the administration. It allows for university officials to identify potential problem areas the students experience and rectify them.
“For us, it’s important that students respond and be open and honest,” Tuttle said. “It is important that we be able to connect with the students.”