The 2016 STAR Summit responses have been released.
STAR Summit is a yearly conference aimed at student-leaders, where attendees discuss things they would like to see done differently in the next year. Normally at the summit, students brainstorm together and choose the top ten issues on campus. This year, students simply wrote down three things they would like to see at OCU next year and one thing they already like about OCU.
Levi Harrel, assistant director of student development, said he was happy with how things went this year.
“Any time that we have the opportunity to hear from students directly, I think is positive so I was very pleased with the conversations that were occurring with that list-making process,” he said. “This was the first time were were approaching that process in this way, so we already put into ideas how th process is going to run more smoothly next year, how we can guide students with different areas of focus.”
The list contains everything that students wrote down.
Several points on the list discuss the need for better communication, more flexibility and more attention to sports.
Students would like to see better communication when it comes to organizations, events and classes, according to the list. They are also interested in the school being more transparent with things like tuition and what the faculty and staff are doing.
Some students said they want more flexibility with housing, meal plans and scholarships. One of the points on the list said they would like to see:
The university to be more flexible and willing to make exceptions, especially when it comes to housing and/or meal plans for local students.
Some points on the list discuss the fact that not enough students attend athletic events. Students would like to see “A push for more involvement in athletics.”
There is also about five points throughout the list that mention health, either physical or mental. One point calls for addressing “the eating disorder/unhealthy mindset on campus,” while two others said the university should have a nutritional service or staff.
We really need to change the Ann Lacy weigh-in process, but if we can’t do that, at least offer personal trainers, dietary counselors and programs to promote healthy body image.
Harrel said, in the future they plan to guide the discussion more by categorizing things students would like to see.
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