Town hall meeting lets students, staff weigh in on Campus Climate Survey
By Molly Kaelin
Dean Michèle Alexandre hosted a town hall meeting to discuss the Campus Climate Survey with students, faculty, and staff in the Great Hall on Feb. 18. The informal gathering gave participants a chance to express concerns and exchange ideas.
The Campus Climate Survey is currently open for students faculty and staff; the deadline for completion is March 6. The purpose is to gauge the institution’s progress on becoming a more diverse, equitable and inclusive community and identify new initiatives that could be implemented or any action areas that should be addressed.
Wonderful changes can come from our collective voice, and we need continued participation in the survey for this reason, Dean Alexandre said.
“This is something that can be meaningful, and you can tell your honest truth.”
The survey is confidential. Submitted surveys go directly to neutral third party provider, Pryor Education Insights, which will compile and analyze the data. Results will be available in the fall, and Dean Alexandre hopes to have representatives from the company on campus to explain the findings.
The last campus climate survey was conducted in 2016, and it led to such programs as the Food Pantry and Sexual Health Resource Area and the identification of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus, as well as the creation of a Diversity and Inclusion Committee and Staff Advisory Committee. That year, the response rate from the College of Law (including students, staff and faculty) was 34 percent. This year, Dean Alexandre said she hopes to have at least 50 percent participation.
Professor Lance Long, a member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, beseeched students to take the time to complete the survey.
“We really want more input from the students,” he said. “They’re why we exist.”
During the meeting, students expressed the need for more involvement in the community – specifically, the school’s need to reach out to local organizations such as the St. Petersburg Bar Association and other similar organizations. The emphasis was on going out in the legal community and not merely inviting people to speak or network on campus. More visibility will only lead to more opportunities for Stetson Law students and the College of Law overall, students said.
Other student concerns included greater support for students that commute and students with families, as well as easier access to member of the administration. Faculty and staff concerns centered on tension between different departments and staff changes. There was a request to have staff change information available in real time. With these needs voiced, the College of Law can now work to address them.
Dean Alexandre reiterated the best way to have your voice heard in a confidential manner is to fill out the survey before the March 6 deadline. Check your email for a link to the survey or pick up a paper copy in the Student Affairs office.
Photos by Law Student Emmanuel Bonilla.
Post date: Feb. 20, 2020
Media contact: Kate Bradshaw
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