By Marley Malenfant/se news editor
Parking issues, computer difficulties, designated smoking areas and cafeteria times were the main topics discussed on SE Campus last week.
Students asked questions and faculty gave answers at the Student Forums on SE Campus Oct. 20 and Oct. 21.
Doug Peak, SE student development services director, said such forums should give the campus a positive vibe.
“Our goal is to create a healthy environment for our students,” he said. “This is a way for students to voice their concerns and help make SE Campus better.”
Most of the questions were prewritten before the students arrived at the forums. Students wrote questions on a note card and submitted them.
SE student Raquel Deleon said the lack of parking places was a problem.
“We’re so crowded,” she said. “We don’t have enough spots, and some students will park in the faculty spots and not get a citation.”
SE President Dr. Judith Carrier said enrollment has outgrown space.
“The building was made for 3,000 students, and this semester we got over 13,000, so it’s a little tight,” she said. “We’re hoping to get parking garages, and I assume NE Campus will get those first before SE Campus does. It’s all up to the board of trustees. Hopefully, those come in a year or so.”
SE student Charles Smith said the computers need updating.
“TCC needs to optimize the speed in the computer labs and library,” he said. “Computers are slow, and protection of data is limited.”
Mark Dolive, SE library director, said officials are looking to add more computers in the future.
“We only have 40 library computers and even less in the computer learning center,” he said. “We are looking to add more desktops and even some laptops in the library.”
Someone asked why smokers don’t have designated spots on campus. Trustees recently approved a tobacco ban for the entire TCC district.
“Why don’t they have spots where people can smoke?” the student asked. “It’s not going to bother anybody.”
Carrier responded: “There will never be a section for smoking on any of the TCC facilities. We want students to feel comfortable while they’re learning. Students who do smoke can do that on their own time.”
SE student Gina Maloy said the cafeteria times need to be extended.
“My classes are at night, and I don’t have time to eat anything before class,” she said. “The cafeteria closes at 2. That’s crazy.”
Rusty Fox, vice president of student services, said a need must be shown to extend cafeteria times.
“We tried that before, but students didn’t go to the cafeteria at night as much as they did during the day,” he said. “A solution to the problem may be extending the time a few hours longer.”
SE student Anisa Koci wished some answers were more straightforward.
“We needed more concrete answers,” she said. “I liked the forum. It’s putting me in the right place. I learned some things I did not know before.”
SE student Kim Butler said the student forums should be held more often.
“They did a good job, but they should do it every semester,” she said.
SE student Marcus Fredrick said the student forums were fine as is.
“The faculty and students are just trying to help us understand each other,” he said.
Carrier recognized some needed changes for the next forum.
“Many people have questions and don’t know where to go,” she said. “We’re using initials, and not everybody knows what they are. Instead of saying science learning center, we say SLC. Not everybody knows what those things are. We need to have students more engaged. We hope we can refine it a little better.”
