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Students and faculty sat down to talk through issues related to academics at Quinnipiac. Topics included the purpose and structure of First-Year Seminar (FYS), faculty office hours and inclusion on campus. 

“I think for me, a primary student concern just in what I see in student government and what I see through First-Year Seminar is definitely the first question I asked, about the disparity in academics between different FYS classes,” Marshall said. “I think that that’s something that my first-year students and all the students on student government are really upset about. But, I think overall, the conversation was very, very productive.”

Faculty also asked students for ways they could improve on teaching styles, office hours and general student interactions.

“I love it. It helps set student expectations of learning here at Quinnipiac University. I really think it also really emphasizes the culture of collaboration and dialogue and sharing we have,” Katie Place, associate professor of strategic communication, said. “I love how the students were openly asking us questions and we were asking the students questions.” 

When asked what she hoped would come from this event, Professor Place said, “More opportunity for that dialogue- I am really looking forward to that.”

The faculty side of the panel also asked students for suggestions on how to increase motivation in their classes.

“I would love to see more of this. I think that in some ways, it would be valuable if faculty and students just had town halls all own their own, where we could have these common dialogues,” Director of General Education and Professor of Anthropology Hillary Haldane said. “I think it makes your experience in the classroom better because you hear from us but it would also make us better professors in the classroom to know who you are as a body of students.”

The event was sponsored by SGA and students with additional feedback are encouraged to reach out to SGA’s Academic Senators.