Chancellor's Corner - November 2007
Only with a continued commitment to real, two-way dialogue can we continue to be the great university that those students described in my office.
Chancellor James L. Oblinger
Take Time to Listen and to Share
In October, four students, diverse in age, background and discipline, came to Holladay Hall for my first "Lunch with the Chancellor." The students talked about their NC State experience, the professors, the classes and the activities that have defined their years on campus. One of our international students remembered the warm reception that her family received on a campus visit. Other students complimented our faculty and staff for their flexibility and interest in student work and research. Each one shared their passion and excitement for our university, and welcomed the chance to share in my office.
The students also shared some things they thought we could do better - early registration for working parents who have to juggle classes with children or a more intuitive MyPack Portal and better faculty advising. They asked questions about our campus emergency procedures in the wake of the shootings at Virginia Tech. Since that lunch, we have been able to connect those students with the appropriate people on campus to answer their questions. We brought up their advising concerns in the next Chancellor's Liaison meeting and we have worked to find and publicize answers to their inquiries about emergency procedures on campus, including text messaging and particularly the PIER system, which offers some additional options for emergency notification.
The understanding that we gained over lunch underlies our continued commitment to include students in our conversations across campus. Student representatives are selected to sit on each of the university's 23 standing committees, covering everything from campus dining to campus calendar decisions. Students sit on task forces, decision-making boards and advisory councils, like the University Diversity Advisory Committee. Our Student Body President is a voting member of the Board of Trustees.
We do not place students in these positions because mandate or statute demands it. We give students these leadership opportunities because we value their perspective and expertise. We know that students can express their needs and concerns better than any faculty member or administrator can on their behalf. By inviting their participation, we gain their creativity and ingenuity.
And, if my first lunch is any indication, our students are quite willing to share. In my State of NC State address in September, I called on our students, faculty and alumni to "share their stories." Today, I am asking us to invest as much time in listening. It is not an easy task. From my own experiences as a faculty member and an administrator, I know that the lives of our students, faculty and administrators are multi-faceted. Just as our faculty juggle their research with teaching and community outreach, our students struggle to strike a balance between their academics and their families, jobs and service commitments.
But it is important that we take time to listen and to share. These lunches are just part of my commitment to listen more to our students and faculty on campus. Our students can take advantage of these opportunities on campus to push their ideas or to seek answers to their concerns. As administrators and faculty, we can seek opportunities to engage our students, perhaps in a classroom corridor, an advising session, or in the buffet line at a campus event. Only with a continued commitment to real, two-way dialogue can we continue to be the great university that those students described in my office.
I look forward to hearing more stories from our students in the coming months. As long as our students are willing to share, I will be listening.
James L. Oblinger