Join the Conversation
You are invited to join the conversation. Here on the website, you can participate in one of several discussion groups – some will be open topic, others arranged around a specific question or issue. Feel free to continue a line of thought here on the website. Or take a question from this website, and follow up in person at a forum.
Open Forum -- August 27, 2007
The Aug. 27 open forum was held at 7 p.m. in the Mountainlair’s Vandalia Lounge, with Mindy Walls, director of the WVU College of Business and Economics? Entrepreneurship Center, moderating the discussion.
If you were unable to attend, you can watch the webcast. You must have QuickTime 7 (free download) installed on your computer to view the webcast.
The following is a live blog from the Aug. 27 forum.
President-elect Garrison opened tonight’s forum by thanking those in attendance for coming out on such a beautiful evening.
“By now, you?re familiar with the idea of these forums,” he said. “We wanted to have one specifically after the students had a chance to come back. Of course, the forum is open to anyone. We?re going to try to keep it focused on student issues tonight ? what brought you here and what has kept you here as a student, and, for new students, how your first week has been.”
Moderator Mindy Walls started the conversation asking audience members what it meant for WVU to be a student-centered university and what the University could do to be more student-centered.
The forum participant above said as a student-centered University, WVU should continue to value the opinions of students, ?Students are your most powerful lobbyists when they come to you,” she said. “You have to listen to the students and keep what they?re saying in the forefront of your mind.?
Walls also asked students and other members of the crowd about their concerns and suggestions for improvement.
Concerns
- Disappearing green space
- Traffic
- Parking
- Reliability of public transportation
- Weather-related PRT problems
- Local air quality
- Condition of older residence halls
- Student ticketing system for football games
Suggestions
- Use text messaging to get critical information to students
- Re-evaluate pedestrian access to Oglebay Hall
- Keep the library open 24/7
- Use better approach for regional planning in northcentral West Virginia
- Involve students more in decision-making process (e.g., more focus groups)
In conclusion, President-elect Garrison thanked forum participants for joining the conversation and assured them that it would not be the last time to voice their suggestions and concerns. “I want to thank you for coming out. Even though this is the seventh forum we’ve had, this is not the last and only opportunity that we will have as an administration and that you will have as a University community to talk.
“If no other message goes forward from these forums, I want the message to be that we are very receptive and accessible and open to what it is you have to say, and we want to hear it. A big part of leadership is listening, and we’re trying to do that.”
More Forum Photos
Recent Articles
- "Student Health at WVU" Forum
- "Why I Serve..." Faculty, Staff, and Student Forum
- The Inauguration of Michael S. Garrison as WVU President ? October 19, 2007
- "How WVU Changed My Life" Panel Discussion -- October 18, 2007
- Women of Color Celebration -- October 17, 2007
- Military Appreciation Breakfast -- October 16, 2007
- "Why I Teach..." Faculty, Staff, and Student Forum
- "Coming Home" Gathering -- October 17, 2007
- Open Forum -- August 27, 2007
- Open Forum at WVU Institute of Technology -- August 21, 2007
Articles
My Question for President-elect Garrison is this: West Virginia has a goal to grow and expand in the coming years. At the same time the state of West Virginia proclaims itself to be “Open for Business.” These two goals run parallel to and compliment each other well. To that endeavor, it is the dream of a select group of current students and alumni to establish a new key industry in the state with the ability to further both of these goals along. And that industry is television and film.
This is an industry that can attract new sources of revenue to the state and the university. And those working to make it happen wish to explore ways in which WVU can be a catalyst in establishing this new key industry.
A recent article in Morgantown’s Dominion Post newspaper detailed how this industry has taken root and is prospering in the city of Pittsburgh – only 80 miles or so to the north of WVU. And if it can happen there the question is why not here?
WVU has the resources and talent pool to accomplish great and wonderful things. And an endeavor such as that suggested here can create opportunities for students to gain practical experience in their majors. It can present the University as well as the state in a positive light to others while showcasing precious resources available through WVU and the state of West Virginia. It can also attract others to come through our borders and do business as our Welcome signs into the state suggest.
There is a project called “This Hard Land” in preproduction in Morgantown that enjoys significant support from within the WVU community. It is a Pilot for a proposed dramatic television series that in part incorporates WVU into the storyline. It is also the product of WVU alumni and current students. And a project such as this can serve as a catalyst to open the door to future possibilities of the same kind.
Is this something that President Garrison can stand to support, encourage or at the very least explore the feasibility of WVU’s involvement?
Congratulations. You are now the President of the #1 Party School in the Nation. All the Forums, pronouncements, positive press releases will not erase the reputation inflicted upon WVU by the students. Granted it is a minority of the student population that resulted in this recognition, but that minority received a large voice in discribing student life at WVU and Morgantown. No doubt many prospective high school seniors will be checking U-Tube, MySpace and other popular websites and read Ms O’hara’s platitudes about why one should attend WVU. Its her voice and opinion that will indeed carry the day in the minds of many.
Forget any present or future financial contributions to WVU on my behalf. WVU taught me not to waste my time, resources on lost causes.
George C. Armstrong
WVU ‘74
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