UC’s newly named Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Santa Jeremy Ono, visited RWC on Tuesday, October 5 for a series of meetings and introductions.Beginning at 9:30 a.m., Dr. Ono held meetings with new RWC Dean Cady Short-Thompson and various faculty members and staff, and then at 11:30, he met with a group of selected students to discuss various issues and concerns.
The meeting, which was essentially a round-table discussion, consisted of Ono and seven students, most of whom were members of various honor societies. The students introduced themselves individually and brought up particular issues they partially represented. The meeting was relaxed, open, and informative.
Amongst the discussed issues were changes in RWC’s recycling policies, advising techniques, disability services, the process of how a student organization is formed, and transportation issues. Also, several students representing various groups or ideas were given the chance to discuss their ideas with Ono himself, such as a currently-being-formed Muslim Student Society, a group for environmental concerns, a Women’s Support Group, and a possible new literary magazine.
Other issues that were discussed included the possibility of a free counseling service for RWC students, a program encouraging freshmen to check with their advisers on a more regular basis, and the lack of communication between students and faculty via email.
Dr. Ono, who not only listened to the discussion, but openly engaged in the conversation, stated that he may return to RWC soon for another meeting with students, but this next meeting may be on a larger scale, such as a Q&A session or just simply a larger group of students.