By: Danny Gonzales-Hyde, Staff Writer
On October 5, Regis held a student summit, a meeting between students and administration that had the overarching goal of connecting the two. Despite its initial goals, emotions bubbled over as students shared meaningful questions that we, as a student body, want answers to. During the hour that was set aside for student questions, a lot was brought up, but a few main themes emerged. Questions around the Title IX office were common, as there seemed to be confusion around the way in which they have handled cases in the past. Other offices were also brought up, such as VAVP (Victim Advocacy and Violence Prevention) which has puzzlement surrounding its association with the community, and the CARE (Crisis Assessment Risk Evaluation) office, which deals with disciplinary action. This confusion around accessible resources is yet another recurring theme that persisted throughout the discussion. One such instance of this is how students don't know who the administrators are and what their roles on campus are, which has resulted in a lack of trust between the students and the administration. This also extends into students not knowing what our mental health resources are, with the looming memory of COVID-19 in our peripheral. This resource should be accessible to all students even as COVID-19 begins to wind down, mental health should remain a priority for our campus.
Other subjects that students brought up, on a number of occasions, were campus security and the lack of support that commuter students receive. In the case of campus security, there were inquiries surrounding how long the response time is when they are called, along with one student calling for them to be armed. These claims came partially as a result of the recent threat on campus from earlier this month when the student body received an alert from campus security that there were potentially two armed individuals on campus. This threat seemed to have really resonated with students, as many had reason to be panicked and were forced to hide in less-than-ideal locations. Commuter students were also present at the summit and made it known that it is difficult for them to be involved and feel a part of campus life. This was brought up with the hope that the administration can figure out some ways to make commuter students feel more at home while on campus.
Despite all that was mentioned in this article, a few bright spots emerged from the discussion. For one, a line of communication has now been established between the student body and the administration. This will play a vital role in hopefully getting things done that are important to students not only now but in the future. Secondly, it seems that students are fond of the faculty and the relationships that they have built with them inside and outside the classroom. This also came along with high praise for certain administrators, such as Dave Law, who was met with cheers when he was introduced. Nevertheless, student concerns extend beyond just the meeting, and they are curious about what a follow-up could look like and what form it could potentially take as it has much uncertainty surrounding it. Students are now looking forward to seeing the results of the summit and to observing what changes may arise on campus now that their voices have been heard.
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Editor’s Note: There appeared to be a collective sense of frustration with the current status of Regis’ affairs, and a notable fear and worry of concerns going unheard. To those with unresolved feelings, things to say about what transpired, or those wanting an avenue for your voice to be heard, I encourage you to pursue a couple channels at your disposal. For one, The Highlander always welcomes student submissions, in whatever format you prefer to use, whether that be written, visual, or somewhere in between. Further, RUSGA has made it a priority this year to make everyone’s voice heard, especially our president, Madelaine Johnson.
Contact Information:
Editor in Chief, Morgan Jacobus: mjacobus001@regis.edu
Student Body President, Madelaine Johnson: mjohnson048@regis.edu