Interim president wants to hold forums next month

Plans are in the works for Interim University President Kathy Wilbur to hold several student forums next month.

“I think it’s important that everyone on campus get the same information,” she said.

Wilbur said she already set up opportunities to meet with the Student Government Association and the Residential Hall Assembly and, now, she wants to reach out to the rest of the student body.

She hopes to have the forums planned for sometime in October.

Former University President Michael Rao held four open forums per year when he first came to CMU in 2000. He later went to one forum per year and eventually stopped holding them because attendance was low.

Grand Rapids freshman Brittany Jerzyk said she believes the forums would be a great way for students to see who actually runs the university.

“I’ve got no idea who runs everything,” she said. “Professors are the only faculty I’m ever with.”
Wilbur said she wants to break the forums into smaller groups targeting certain students.

She will start in the residential halls and then hold forums with off-campus students.

“I will say we made it conscious not to make a large student or faculty forum,” Wilbur said. “I don’t think you get as good of a response.”

Jerzyk agrees people would be more prone to talk if the groups are smaller.

Wilbur said she would begin the forums with a few comments and then open them up to a question-and-answer session.

St. Marne senior Caitlin Ware said she thinks the forums would be a good way for students to voice their concerns on issue they may have.

“You never know if things are getting the president’s attention,” she said. “There’s no middle man (with the forums).”

Wilbur said she is extremely comfortable in the circumstance of being in front of the students answering their questions.

“It puts a name to a face,” she said.