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December 5, 2003

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Trinity faces universal issues

We are not alone. Last month I had the privilege of attending a meeting of Student Affairs officers and student government presidents from the Associated Colleges of the South, a group of small private liberal arts institutions.

The group included Rollins, Southwestern, Millsaps, Furman, Richmond, Centre, Washington & Lee, the University of the South and Birmingham Southern. The agenda was open-ended, the discussions were fascinating, for a Student Affairs person, anyway. A brief review follows:

The staff and students independently identified alcohol as the most significant issues on our campuses. One old-timer mused over having washed his hands of the alcohol issue years ago only to be in a state of near despair over the amount of alcohol abuse affecting his students.

The students acknowledged the problem and were concerned that students don’t easily attend alcohol-free programs. They also believed their campuses were over-programmed. Mostly the students reflected concerns of their students – that university staffs were taking the fun out of the college experience with intrusive policies and enforcement on alcohol.

Students on other campuses have lots of pre-parties with alcohol before events, as do we, but it is called “front-loading” on other campuses.

The students bemoaned the lack of school identity and focused mission, school spirit and traditions. The consensus was that at small private institutions school spirit is elusive, and athletic programs can’t create spirit (attendance at athletic events is low). School pride is a more realistic and attainable goal.

Students are apathetic about campus and social issues and their student governments. All of the student presidents want to have big-name bands on campus, but they should be up-and-coming, not yet at their peak and definitely not on the way down.

We have the best school paper and yearbook, and we are the only school that has a full-time publications adviser (note that the adviser doesn’t preview the paper before publication). Students are generally dissatisfied with food service. It is rare to have carpeted dorm rooms and MicroFridges. The Southwestern student reps included varsity soccer players who correctly noted that Trinity’s team this year is the real deal.

Trinity does more parent communication than other schools, though most do automatic parent notification for alcohol offenses. Staff members feel increasingly that they spend as much or more time talking to parents than to students. Students talk to their parents several times per week if not per day, and the cell phone culture has become dominant.

We are not alone. Last month I had the privilege of attending a meeting of Student Affairs officers and student government presidents from the Associated Colleges of the South, a group of small private liberal arts institutions.

Students really, really want us to explain policies. They think most policies and decisions are reasonable, but they need to hear from staff – often – about why the institution does what it does. Most schools evict students after one drug offense and after two alcohol offenses. Most have a three or four-year residency requirement.

We are the only institution with a student-only judicial board that hears almost all cases. Our faculty members are more involved in judicial decision-making than at other schools.

Campus pubs can’t compete with the cheap/free alcohol served to minors at Greek parties. About the only thing that can consistently compete with getting drunk is hanging out with professors. The value students place on being with faculty members outside the classroom is enormous.

And finally, while reassured that we share common problems, circumstances and successes, no one could picture themselves being anywhere else.

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