On Friday, Nov. 1, Oswego State administrators met with students in work groups and focused on building a dialogue for improving the college community. This is the third such event, with prior events occurring in the previous fall and spring semesters.

The event was introduced by Oswego State President Deborah Stanley, who said she hoped “if you talked directly to people who could make change,” that could be the best way to bring that change into the world.

“You can discuss what is really happening, what your feelings are about things that you are concerned about and what is the path forward you can take to get where you want to go,” Stanley said at the beginning of the event. “You can look around the room. We have a lot of staff here today. A lot of people really interested in hearing what you’re thinking and trying to be helpful and telling you how this place works now.”

According to Stanley, students participating in the work groups would not only get insight into current policies at Oswego State, but get immediate answers on why those policies are in place as well as how those policies could be changed to address student concerns or frustrations.

Students could participate in one of six tables over the course of two rounds of dialogues during the event. Focus groups had relevant administrators, with topics including University Police and campus relations; classroom and academic relations; on-campus student life; off-campus student life and campus-community relations; communicating issues and concerns with the campus and finally, a sixth table where students could address a concern not covered by other topics.

Participating students drove the discussions by asking the school officials about topics impacting the Oswego State experience that administrators may not have otherwise had an opportunity to touch on directly with students. After each round of discussions, a student from each table was handed a microphone to report to the room what their table talked about.

The UP and campus relations table discussed building a relationship between students and law enforcement. The second round had the UP table explore clearing up campus conduct rules and helping law enforcement find the best way to approach students that may be anxious around police officers.

The second focus group discussed classroom issues, with topics including late notifications of campus-wide class cancellation, security deadbolts on classroom doors to keep intruders out during a lockdown and helping students afford textbooks.

On-campus relations spoke about dark spots on campus, where a lack of streetlights or exterior lighting caused some students to feel unsafe traveling the campus at night, expanding the community involvement program in place in residence halls like Johnson Hall, increasing inclusivity in dorms and finding more spaces for clubs to meet and organize.

The table for off-campus issues discussed helping students navigate renting apartments in Oswego and increasing public transit to between downtown and campus.

Table five focused on campus communication, with students concerned by a lack of a clear explanation of student rights, biased-based issues on campus and emergency alerts.

The table reserved for other concerns was used in the second round only, with students asking for a pocket student handbook explaining school policies and expanded healthcare access so students living far from the health center can have nearby options. Further, this focus group expressed frustration with the health center’s policy to not provide doctor’s notes for illness. The office of Student Affairs clarified that students can verify their illness with their professors through the college without an official doctor’s note, but agreed that policy may not be widely-known.

“I really like working groups because it allows for deeper dives into certain topics, [students] discuss and really hash out issues,” Takeena Strachan, the president of the Oswego State Student Association, said at the event. “As a student, we’re all busy and we all have priorities in our lives, and classes are always our main priority but it’s definitely a good time for us because you’ll think of something or something will bother you, then you’ll get distracted. So having a time to be guided throught that, it’s nice.”

Justin Techmanski, the president of the Oswego State Residence Hall Association and a junior biology student said the event was a great opportunity for students to be heard by the college.

“As a student leader here on campus, I have many opportunities to hear and speak with the administration, but something about this event specifically, having them be such a captive audience, it was great,” Techmanski said.

Matthew O’Donnell, the vice president of SA, said this work group event was more successful than the one he attended last spring, despite the latest event having less turnout. O’Donnell said the weather, which had severe winds throughout the day, may have contributed to the lower attendance.

“I feel like the issues pressed at this one were a little more solvable,” O’Donnell said. “Not to say the last one wasn’t effective, but this one is going to be a lot better. If these problems get solved, that were addressed today, it’s going to be a lot better for the campus.”

The event was helpful for administrators too, who do not always get the opportunity to talk to students directly about issues affecting the campus.

“I like it, it’s pretty enlightening to me and I like hearing from the students directly,” Mitch Fields, the associate vice president for Facilities Services at Oswego State, said.

Fields said he appreciates the feedback from students, as the insight gained from speaking with them helps him evaluate the decisions made as an administrator.

Scott Furlong, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs for Oswego State, said he appreciated the opportunity to explain some of the decision-making or considerations behind the college’s policies. According to Furlong, sometimes policies have to work within constraints and providing that background through dialogue can help everyone better understand an issue.

“When we first started doing these last year, it was really clear that not everybody understood the real dynamics of what happens [on campus],” Furlong said. “When you explain it, it makes sure everyone has the same context, it makes the solution development that much easier.”

Oswego State administrators are expecting to hold another work group event next semester to keep the dialogue going and continue to improve the campus community.

Photo by Colin Hawkins | The Oswegonian