editorial: Student listening sessions create ideal setting for campus dialogue

A huge benefit of attending a small school is the opportunity to sit down with the university president and talk about issues on campus.

President Martha Burger hosted a student listening session last week in partnership with student affairs. The session focused on diversity and inclusion and all students were welcome. Burger and Kanika Brown, assistant director of career services, were present with the students.

Click here to read more about the session.

The session was an opportunity for students to discuss their experiences on campus with the president, whether good or bad.

It would benefit the campus community for events like this to happen more often.

Students having direct access to Burger is a huge benefit that students at bigger universities may not have. Burger’s willingness to sit down with students is admirable and hopefully will improve issues and highlight positive aspects of the university in the future.

Students should take advantage of opportunities like these and of Burger’s open-door policy. Then Burger can at least be aware of what students may want or need. Students also can inform her of what university officials are doing well.

Burger is the university president, but she’s only one human being. She can’t know about every concern on campus unless they’re brought to her attention. Listening sessions are an important way for that to happen. 

In the future, hosting listening sessions at more opportune times would allow more students to attend. The recent listening session was from noon to 1 p.m. Many students have class until 12:15 p.m. or a class that begins at 12:30 p.m. Even though the event was come-and-go, students may have wanted to be in attendance longer. It’s helpful to have a variety of input on important issues. The more students that can attend this type of discussion, the more beneficial it is for all involved. An evening session probably would fit more students’ schedules. 

Every student has a unique campus experience to share. Putting as much diversity as possible in one room with the president is likely to bring up issues that students or Burger may never have considered.

Being open and honest while remaining respectful and constructive is the best way to approach these types of conversations. Even when topics are uncomfortable, being mature and open-minded will bring positive results.