February 23, 2018
Dear Carleton Students, Faculty, and Staff,
We feel it is important to provide this update prior to the hectic pace that accompanies the end of winter term.
Last week we shared with you our intention to meet with students from the group CarlsTalkBack to hear first-hand about the issues they are raising–and about which they have passionately spoken. We are pleased to report that students spent more than three hours on the evening of February 15th sharing their perspectives with us. Joe Chihade and Kathy Evertz from CEDI were part of this meeting, as were the current CSA president and treasurer. We listened to and learned from students’ candid remarks, and we hope that this process created some mutual trust upon which we can build.
Tuesday Group and the CEDI co-chairs have subsequently discussed the students’ feedback, which included a request that point persons be designated to work with them on the various issues they raised. We agree with the students that further follow-up from the meeting is essential.
President Poskanzer has appointed Tuesday Group members to convene follow-up meetings about each of the areas discussed (infrastructure/accessibility, student resources, diversity/inclusion training, working conditions, admission and financial aid, curriculum and academic planning, and accountability and reporting), and about the critical issue of communication. The conveners will promptly schedule one or more follow-up meetings with an appointed set of students, faculty, and staff, and then report back to the President with a summary of what they shared and learned and proposed next steps. The purpose of these follow-up meetings is to bring to light further valuable information, context and knowledge about pressing issues. They will enable participants to make suggestions about priorities, to identify issues that can be immediately addressed, to winnow out issues that have already been resolved—and in some cases to identify additional emerging issues requiring the community’s attention. These meetings should help all of us tap existing governance channels and operational processes to effectively take up and encourage further discussion about important issues.
These follow-up meetings will convene as soon as schedules allow, which could be before the end of the term.
The Tuesday Group
Steve Poskanzer, President
Bev Nagel, Dean of the College
Carolyn Livingston, Vice President and Dean of Students
Fred Rogers, Vice President and Treasurer
Tommy Bonner, Vice President for External Relations
Paul Thiboutot, Vice President and Dean of Admissions
Jeff Ondich, President of the Faculty
Elise Eslinger, Vice President and Chief of Staff
CEDI Co-Chairs
Joe Chihade, Professor of Chemistry
Kathy Evertz, Director of the Academic Support Center