Interim president Neil Kerwin said he wants AU to have an "academic reputation stronger than it is today" at a roundtable discussion Monday night in Mary Graydon Center.
The discussion was suggested to administrators by Genevieve Frye, director of the Kennedy Political Union and Kyle Taylor, Student Government president. The two spoke to Gail Hanson, vice president of campus life and pitched the idea. According to Frye, Hanson was very receptive to the idea and contacted Kerwin's cabinet to organize the event.
"The cabinet is very willing to talk to students," Frye said. "They work hard for the students and want to see communication levels increase."
Student leaders have been pressing for more open relationships with AU decision makers the board of trustees released Dr. Benjamin Ladner as university president last October.
"It was a great way to actually have some contact with the upper administration," Taylor said.
Gail Hanson, vice president of campus life, said that the purpose of the panel was to have an "exchange of information."
"I am happy to be part of this," she said. "It's a good chance to get acquainted."
Five members of the cabinet were present, first to socialize over pizza with the students in the attendance, then to give opening remarks and finally to take questions and answers from the audience.
The panelists included Kerwin, Hanson, Interim Provost Ivy Broder, Vice President of International Affairs Robert Pastor and Treasurer Donald Myers.
Myers said his goal for the evening was for students to "get a better understanding of the work of the administration, and we can give you feedback on things you are interested in."
Myers also presented recent financial reports for the university, and images of the upcoming facilities projects, which were outlined in an Eagle article last week. Some of the upcoming projects include a new School of Communication building and a new School of International Service building.
Genevieve Frye, director of the Kennedy Political Union, began the discussion by asking cabinet members how they see their departments changing over the next five years.
Pastor said that he hopes that in five years "everyone will acknowledge that AU is the premier global university."
Broder said she want like to see improvements in continuing to hire a "truly outstanding faculty," including hiring faculty members eligible for scholar teacher awards.
Hanson said she would like to see improvements in campus life. She would like to see "residence halls truly becoming learning communities."
She would also like to see AU have a social destination, a real "living room," that will give the school a better sense of identity.
Myers spoke about the surplus in the financial health of the university and new facilities. He believes that the School of International Service and School of Communication both need new buildings.
He also wants to make the university "less tuition dependent" and reach a level of $500 million dollars in endowments. Myers also shared that in his free time, he enjoys "beating President Kerwin in golf," a point Kerwin disputed.
Taylor said, "Students get an inside prospective on the long-term vision of the university which is what the executives focus on."
He also felt that the executives "gave honest answers."
Elliot Friedman, a freshman in the School of Public Affairs and a Class of 2009 SG senator was very pleased with the night.
"I thought it was great opportunity to talk to the administration and ask the questions we as students feel are important," he said. "They actually cared what we had to say and were by no means a panel of nodding heads."
Taylor challenged Kerwin to a dance off as a rematch to Saturday's Phil Bender free throw shootout. Kerwin jokingly shared with students at the panel that he is a fan of interpretive dance.
