2008 Woodie Awards
Results of survey suggest visitation increase
Brendan Block
Issue date: 2/8/08 Section: News
Near the end of the fall semester Southwest Baptist University Student Government Association administered a visitation survey on Blackboard to receive student response on a vital school issue.
A total of 234 students participated in the survey. The survey resulted in 167 students asking for visitation to increase while eight asked for visitation to decrease.
Undecided students tallied 30, and 15 did not answer. The remaining 14 were students who live off campus.
With this mandate of student opinion in her pocket, Student Body President senior Ivry Karamitros met with Dean of Students Rob Harris to request increased visitation.
Karamitros specifically asked for visitation to increase on the weekends. She proposed visitation every Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 1 p.m. to midnight and Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m.
Harris promised to give careful consideration to the suggestions of Karamitros and SGA, however, he sees two major hurdles for increased visitation.
"I am considering everything, including financial ramifications and constituency interests as well," said Harris. "Constituency interests are much broader than students."
When considering other interests relevant to the visitation debate, Harris asserted the need for the change to be suitable for administration, faculty and parents. Some of them might not approve of a drastic increase in visitation.
Another issue he is concerned with is the personal privacy of students not participating in visitation. Harris must balance both the minority and majority needs.
He also discusses financial difficulty as an issue.
"For an increase in visitation, there are seven different dorms needing much more personnel, and we cannot increase visitation if we do not have it in our budget," said Harris.
What Harris resonated with here is since the increase in minimum wage and the decrease of many work study positions and hours, complications arise in a practical dilemma in implementing more visitation.
A total of 234 students participated in the survey. The survey resulted in 167 students asking for visitation to increase while eight asked for visitation to decrease.
Undecided students tallied 30, and 15 did not answer. The remaining 14 were students who live off campus.
With this mandate of student opinion in her pocket, Student Body President senior Ivry Karamitros met with Dean of Students Rob Harris to request increased visitation.
Karamitros specifically asked for visitation to increase on the weekends. She proposed visitation every Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 1 p.m. to midnight and Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m.
Harris promised to give careful consideration to the suggestions of Karamitros and SGA, however, he sees two major hurdles for increased visitation.
"I am considering everything, including financial ramifications and constituency interests as well," said Harris. "Constituency interests are much broader than students."
When considering other interests relevant to the visitation debate, Harris asserted the need for the change to be suitable for administration, faculty and parents. Some of them might not approve of a drastic increase in visitation.
Another issue he is concerned with is the personal privacy of students not participating in visitation. Harris must balance both the minority and majority needs.
He also discusses financial difficulty as an issue.
"For an increase in visitation, there are seven different dorms needing much more personnel, and we cannot increase visitation if we do not have it in our budget," said Harris.
What Harris resonated with here is since the increase in minimum wage and the decrease of many work study positions and hours, complications arise in a practical dilemma in implementing more visitation.
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