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Trustees lend an ear

Trustees lend an ear
Laney Tower
December 17, 2007

By Lucy Taube

Student Trustees Reginald James and Marlene C. Hurd reach out

In a parallel universe, Laney Students were lining up at the mic to voice their concerns about the campus to their student trustees during a recent Town Hall Meeting.

In this universe, the roar lulled for a few moments as trustee Reginald James attempted to coax a response from the crowd, as he put it, "between bites of French fries, soup and everything." Growling stomachs aside, it became clear that students weren't ready to step up to the soapbox. "Well that's good news, everything is fine with Peralta," James joked to the crowd. Could it be true? Everything was fine, no one was having problems with the food, the classes, the financial aid tangle?

Abandoning the soapbox for small group conversations, James and Marlene Hurd, the other student trustee, made their way from table to table soliciting responses from groups of hungry Laney students. After a moment it became clear that everything was, in fact, not fine here at Laney College.

As students and student trustees began their dialogue everything from microwaves to military recruiters came up in the true spirit of a Town Hall Forum.

This meeting is the latest in a series as Peralta student trustees make their way around the Peralta campuses to ask students what they can do for them. Many students do not know who to talk to about issues they may be having at school.

One student spoke to Hurd regarding a project she had done in her class in which they found less than three percent of students had ever used the transfer center. Another group of students complained to James about the color of the classrooms.

Though aesthetic concerns may seem inconsequential, James pointed out later in an interview that to students what often comes to mind first in this sort of forum are the small things that affect them on a day-to-day basis.

Hurd and James have heard a huge range of issues during this last round of meetings. Just a few of the concerns they heard were regarding the financial aid bureaucracy, safety on and around campus at night, military recruiters on campus and the need for more food choice in cafeterias

Above all the message from the Student Trustees to students was a loud "We hear you."

It was apparent at the Laney Town Hall forum that student trustees were more than just representatives to the students -they were friends and allies. James and Hurd both urged their fellow students to come and be vocal at board meetings when there is an issue the board should know about it. As James quoted Hurd, "the Board doesn't hear these things."

To share your concerns or ideas with your Peralta Student Trustees Hurd and James, email them at mchurd(at)peralta(dot)edu or rjames(at)peralta(dot)edu, respectively.

Photo: Felix Solomon/LaneyTower.com
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