Clark had a way to voice her concern with Interim University President Kathy Wilbur Wednesday night at a student forum held by Wilbur in Sweeney Hall.

“Sweeney has been my home for the past three years,” Clark said. “I love it here.”

However, because of the transition, she is considering living off campus next year.

“It’s more of a personal choice,” Clark said.

Clark was hoping Wilbur and her colleagues had been discussing a new possible same-sex option for next year.

Clark would even be okay with a same sex floor, she said.

Wilbur was open and thoughtful to the idea.

“I think that’s a fair question, there should be something for everyone,” Wilbur said. “I appreciate your concerns.”

Clark and nine other students gathered around the Sweeney lobby for the third installment in the series of four student forums taking place this semester.

Wednesday was definitely the smallest turnout so far, Wilbur said.

There were conflicting opportunities such as the Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black lecture being held in Warriner Hall’s Plachta Auditorium, she said.

“I always enjoy talking with students who take the time and want to be there,” Wilbur said.

Besides the Sweeney transition, Wilbur also addressed student questions regarding other rumors floating around campus.

Other topics of conversation included the Michigan Promise, the north campus and the Bovee University Center remodeling, athletic cutbacks and apartment costs versus residence halls.

Wilbur said the broken Michigan Promise is a decision of Gov. Jennifer Granholm and there isn’t much Central Michigan University can do.

In addition to these topics, Wilbur was also asked personal questions such as what her favorite part about being president is.

“I get to review the menus for events,” Wilbur said. “And I also get the opportunity to be on campus and interact with students more than my last job.

“About every other day there’s a little surprise that drops on my desk.”

“I mean, the students have definitely driven that agenda,” Wilbur said.

Wilbur held her first open forum in the Troutman lounge, the first presidential open forum in more than three years. It was the first of four forums to take place in residence halls, with the next one at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3 in the Larzelere Hall lobby.

Students understand efficiency usually means less money being spent, she said. If the university saves money, tuition is less likely to increase.

Wilbur said sustainability is why there are so many renovations occurring on campus.

“On a campus as old as ours, there is a great deal of constant maintenance. We’re working to improve that,” Wilbur said.

During the forum, Wilbur discussed the CMU 2010 plan put into effect several years ago. The plan was a series of goals that the university dedicated itself to completing by 2010. One of the goals was to get students more involved in the university.

“It was to make the campus much more student-centered,” Wilbur said.

The key to change

About 25 people attended the forum. Before the question-and-answer portion, Wilbur introduced herself and pressed that the students are key for any change.

“The best advocates for the university are the students. They are important for any change or transition,” Wilbur said.

Ideas were taken from students and others involved in the university during the planning process of the Bovee University Center renovations,

“A post office was the No. 1 request. So there will be a post office in the UC when it’s finished,” Wilbur said.

Justin Petkus, a Hudsonville junior and Troutman resident adviser, said he was impressed with Wilbur for meeting with residents.

“I think it’s great she is making herself available. It shows that she cares,” Petkus said.

Tuition is something that is important, too, Wilbur said.

“The cost of tuition has a very high impact on a student’s future,” she said, “It decides whether a student comes for a first year, and even decides if they come back for a second.”

Troutman Hall Director William O’Dell said it was a great idea for Wilbur to start these forums.

“We have an interim president who, knowing our campus may have a lot of questions right now, comes to meet with students and listens to them,” O’Dell said.

“I want a president who has a keen eye for diversity,” said Ketchum, a representative for CMU’s NAACP chapter. “I also want them to be aware and understand that not everybody is majoring in everything and to keep in mind that I don’t want to pay a lot of money for somebody else’s major.”

The ideas were expressed at the presidential search forum Monday night hosted by the Student Government Association.

About 175 students attended the forum, with about 80 percent being SGA members.
SGA President Jason Nichol said SGA represents the student body, so he was not concerned that most of the students were members.

The committee consisted of Trustee Sarah Opperman, former chairman of Academic Senate and Interim Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Services Ray Francis, President of Isabella Bank and Trust Rick Barz and community member-at-large Tim Brockman.

Ketchum was assured that diversity, his biggest concern, would be a focus under new leadership.

“Diversity is absolutely key,” Opperman said. “It is something that was highlighted under (former University) President Michael Rao, and our job is not done.”

The committee told the crowd it was hoping a new president could not only uphold levels of diversity, but take it to more advanced levels.

Student connection

Others want to see a president more connected to the student body.

“I’m looking for someone who will work with the Greeks and the SGA more,” said Hesperia sophomore Killian Richeson. “I would really like a president who could go out of their way to do this.”

One of the biggest concerns voiced by students was that a new president would have to understand the situation in Michigan.

“I want a president who is conscious of my wallet and overall situation,” Ketchum said.

The committee did its best to assure students that would be taken into consideration. Brockman said the committee hopes candidates will be sensitive to the current economic situation.

However, it was emphasized that the new president would not necessarily have to come from Michigan to do the job.

“We’re looking for someone who has the ability to work in the political setting in Lansing,” Opperman said.

The students agreed an out-of-state choice could help provide perspective, suggesting that such a pick could provide a new outlook for the university.

Having a voice

The forum gave students confidence that the committee was taking their ideas seriously.

“I liked how when students asked questions, they asked questions back,” Ketchum said. “It assured me that they wanted to know what we thought.”

Having a trustee in attendance furthered the students’ belief that they were being heard.

“The trustee member that was there had a very busy schedule,” Richeson said. “The one-on-one dialogue makes me believe they’ll take our ideas and wishes to heart when making decisions.”

“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.

The CMU presidential search committee has 70 individuals nominated for consideration for the university’s next permanent president, said Trustee Stephanie Comai.

Comai, chairwoman of the presidential screening committee, said 25 people have completed all the information required for consideration and the committee expects around 10 more applications.

“I really have no doubt we’ll find an excellent president at the end of this process,” she said.

The application deadline is Oct. 1 and a candidate evaluation process will begin later that month.

Interim University President Kathy Wilbur took office July 1 after former University President Michael Rao left June 30 to become president of Virginia Commonwealth University in February.

Student Government Association President Jason Nichol, a Mount Pleasant senior, hopes to host a student forum with the presidential screening committee at 7 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Charles V. Park Library auditorium, although he said the location may be subject to change.

“Student input is paramount because we’re ultimately the main beneficiaries of the next president of the university,” Nichol said.

Nichol is the only student member of the presidential screening committee, a 13-person council appointed by the CMU Board of Trustees in April to coordinate and search for the university’s next president.

He said he hopes to bring every member of the screening committee.

The search process

In an effort to determine the next president, Comai said the committee has placed advertisements in educational journals around the country and has wrote to individuals holding high-level educational positions nationwide to nominate someone for the job.

The selection process will start toward the end of the year and Comai said the committee hopes to name the university’s next president by Jan. 1.

“I’ve been really pleased with the level of support we’ve received from faculty, staff and students, and that really speaks well of the educational community we have,” she said.

Nichol said the committee is happy with the amount of interest shown in the presidential search.

“We’re happy with the responses we’ve seen so far and are excited,” he said. “We are looking for the best possible president to serve this institution.”