Confusion leaves leaders in the cold
No process for Pre-SLO housing
September 28, 2005
Kristin Ostensen
Student Council Executive and Mars’ Hill Senior Editors were not allowed to move onto campus for Pre-SLO Week this year.
Students James Moes, Norman Van Eeden Petersman, Elaine West, Matthew Jenkins, Sarah Weigum, and Zach Bulick had to arrange alternative accommodations because of this decision made by Student Life.
Students were surprised by this decision because Pre-SLO, which is the week before Student Leadership Orientation Week (SLO Week), is an annual event. TWUSA Bylaws stipulate that Executive and Student Media Representatives must attend Pre-SLO.
“Pre-SLO is the week where the leaders of different departments on campus plan their curriculum for SLO Week before their student leaders arrive,” said Student Council President James Moes. “The Executive comes together in anticipation of the rest of the team… to construct a vision for the year and plan the day to day activities of SLO Week.”
Van Eeden Petersman, who serves as Student Council’s Vice President of Academics, e-mailed Housing Services on August 10 to confirm that he could move onto campus for Pre-SLO. Marcia Harder of Housing Services e-mailed him the next day, informing him that “We just received word from Student Life and Ken Kush that students will not be allowed to stay on campus for Pre-SLO Week…. I am really sorry about this, but it is not a Housing Office decision.”
Mars’ Hill attempted to interview Sheldon Loeppky, Director of Student Life, twice with respect to this decision. He cancelled both interviews, telling Mars’ Hill, “The Pre-SLO Week concern is TWUSA’s alone and therefore I am not prepared to publicly comment on the matter.” Loeppky said that he had already “formally responded” to Moes and Executive Vice President Andrea Norrish.
“We were told [by Loeppky] that traditionally student leaders have never been allowed to move on campus for Pre-SLO Week, as campus is supposed to be shut down,” said Moes. However, two years ago, Moes himself stayed on campus for Pre-SLO while he was serving as Mars’ Hill Visual Editor.
Moes said that Loeppky told him that he “didn’t know any students were on campus last year [for Pre-SLO].”
Mars’ Hill confirmed that several students, including last year’s Vice President of Finance, Quentin Pullen, and Executive Director of Events, Ashley Ymker, did stay on campus last year during Pre-SLO.
Director of Housing Brad Wallbank acknowledged that there is currently no formal process to determine if a student is allowed to move in early for Pre-SLO. He asked, “How do I validate people’s requests?”
For Wallbank, the Pre-SLO problem is a the preparation needed to make campus ready for students. Wallbank noted that students have a certain expectation of service when they move on campus, and if their arrival date is too early it is difficult to meet those expectations.
“It’s better to put the best foot forward for students, especially student leaders and senior student leaders such as members of TWUSA,” he added.
The administration, as well as the student, has a role to play to ensure that miscommunication does not happen, said Wallbank.
Now you go...
Got something to say?