The Campus Culture Task Force committee, the group charged with assessing the campus climate and making recommendations to Chancellor James Oblinger about how to improve the University, will meet today in Talley Student Center to determine its final recommendations.
The meeting, scheduled for 3 p.m. in room 3118, will cover three areas of campus — campus climate, student conduct practices and Free Expression Tunnel and Brickyard practices.
Chancellor Oblinger formed the group, which is made up of students, faculty and administration, in November of last year in response to the threatening messages in the Free Expression Tunnel Nov. 5.
Student Body President Jay Dawkins, a junior in civil engineering, said the group has heard many different types of feedback from students since November and is ready to make its final recommendations.
“There are many decisions made on this campus with very little input,” Dawkins said. “This is an exception. There will be many opportunities to continue to work as a result of these recommendations. We’ve all got a lot of work to do.”
The task force, which includes more than 20 members, has met in three separate subcommittees since its formation in November.
These three groups came together in January to release an initial report on Jan. 16. Since then, the committee has been receiving feedback from students and community members about how to move forward with its plans.
The feedback from students and the community was slow to come at first, totaling only a few responses, but once the deadline to give feedback was extended, more people spoke out, Dawkins said.
“It was a great decision to move the deadline on feedback,” he said. “It got some media attention, and it gave us more chances to receive more suggestions.”
Today’s meeting will make those plans official, and the committee will send its report to Oblinger, who will make the final decisions.
In the initial report, the committee made several suggestions for how to change the Free Expression Tunnel and Brickyard practices. The group recommended the tunnel be more well lit and also recommended the University provide paint, brushes and cleaning supplies to students so they can paint over what they want in the tunnel.
Gerardo Romero, a senior in textile and apparel management, said he is skeptical about how much having paint available would change what has happened in the Free Expression Tunnel.
“I don’t think it’s going to stop people from doing what they do,” he said. “People will complain about things but won’t bother to paint over it.”
The meeting in Talley Student Center today is open, and students, faculty and staff are welcome to attend, Dawkins said.
“I’m not sure if there is any structured time for any forum discussion but it is always good to have a campus presence at these meetings,” he said. “Having a set of ears to listen makes it more worthwhile.”
