College of Agricultural and Life Sciences students will have the chance to voice their concerns to the college’s nine-member student senate delegation Thursday.
Freshmen transitioning into college life and upperclassmen alike are invited to an ice cream social in the brickyard from 11 a.m . to 2 p.m . Student senators have been working since before summer to create an event that brings together students, faculty, staff and alumni.
The purpose of inviting all present and former members to a localized area at once is to create dialog, according to senior in human biology and CALS Senator Harrison Do.
Besides creating conversation, Do outlined two other main goals he aimed to accomplish.
“Along with starting dialog among CALS faculty, staff, students and alumni, we want to create unity and allow student senators to meet their constituents,” Do said.
One particular topic of concern senators expect to hear from students is budget cuts, according to Do.
“The one thing that’s on everyone’s mind is budget cuts. I know students are very concerned about the increasing number of students in each section. They are concerned about not being able to keep their classes, which will delay their graduation timeline,” Do said.
He said he was excited to talk to freshmen with his delegation about how cuts will affect them.
Attendees will be provided with 1,000 cups of ice cream provided at a cost of $500 from the food science department, according to Brad Poston, a junior in human biology and CALS senator.
Funding came from the CALS Alumni and Friends Society and the dean’s office. None of the money comes from student fees, either directly or indirectly, Do said.
Although the event is aimed most prominently toward members of CALS , on-campus organizations that assist the college are also invited. They are not all directly involved with the college, but they help students and faculty in some way, according to Poston.
Representatives from Study Abroad were also invited.
“The organizations may not be specifically for CALS ,” Poston said. “They do, however, provide resources for CALS students.” Poston said.
Do, who organized the event along with Poston, said he hoped it would be more than just a one-time thing.
“We are hoping it will be an event that will occur every year from here on out. This really is something that people are really looking forward. If everything goes well, hopefully this will become a yearly tradition,” Do said.
Coordinator of CALS Recruiting and First Year Experiences Tricia Buddin has added an assignment in her Introductory Topics in Agriculture and Life Sciences class that coincides with the event.
Before going to the event, senators will sit down in groups while in the class and discuss with students what they hope to get from the event, according to Do. When the event is over, students will “write something” about what they learned, Do said.
The final part of the assignment will be a survey asking freshmen how they are handling the transition from high school. Do said senators will use the data to determine how they are doing in their first few weeks at NCSU .
Kristen Gentry, a 2011 alumnus of the chemistry department, said she would have found the chance to meet directly with CALS student senators while in school would have been advantageous.
“My experience while at State was certainly an enjoyable and enlightening one, but there were a few times when I wish I were able to speak with someone who would voice my opinion about something I felt needed to be fixed,” Gentry said.
Gentry said if she were a freshman this year, she would have attended the event to meet other freshmen. If she were a sophomore or upperclassman, she said she would have had time to get acquainted with college life, but would still have attended to make sure senators heard her suggestions.
