It’s often said that the people closest to the action have the clearest understanding of events. At the same time, all of us carry a perspective distinctive to ourselves. Both of these are certainly true of a college campus environment, where every student, faculty member, and administrator can bring a unique perspective to approaching campus-wide challenges and opportunities. In order to take advantage of all those unique perspectives, what’s needed is dialogue.
The second Presidents’ Round Table occurred Thursday October 3rd. Organized by Student Government, presidents of all student organizations were invited to join for an evening of discussion with student senators. The first topic of discussion covered Truman’s culture and its nexus with student mental health. Attendees discussed the good and the bad of being part of a high-achieving university and ways students and the administration could better address the pressure many students feel during the semester. The second topic covered Truman’s ongoing efforts to increase enrollment and retention. Many presidents discussed their experiences when applying to Truman, from their desire to find a rigorous academic environment and a sound financial choice. The third round of discussion was a topic of each president’s choice, ranging from environmental and school spirit to academic and diversity-related topics.
With the Presidents’ Round Table and other discussion events, student government hopes to encourage dialogue between campus leaders and find solutions to problems that face our university community. Students do not have to wait for such an event to occur, however, and should always feel free to reach out to student government representatives with their ideas and concerns.