At Monday night’s Student Senate general assembly, students asked questions to Interim President Jonathan Michael and Interim Provost Daniel Moon.
Students inquired about issues occurring within the administration and problems from recent years.
The first notable issue raised was communication on campus, as many students have felt overwhelmed by the current form and lack thereof. Moon overviewed a new app that is currently in development to provide a solution to this issue.
“We’re really excited about the reconnected app we’re developing,” Moon said. “In one place, it will give students a portal to all of the university’s resources.”
The app would give students a new way of finding out what is going on around campus without receiving an overwhelming amount of emails.
Another concern was raised regarding the plans for the athletic department.
With the program cuts made within the last year, there have been criticisms that the athletic department was not affected.
“I think athletics are important to the student experience,” Michael said. “If you just look at the numbers, there is a cost, but the marketing dollars, I believe, more than outweigh that cost.”
The concern over the phasing out of programs was also expressed, especially in regard to how it affects students in the programs being cut. Many students within programs that were set to be cut are still worried about how their academic experiences will be impacted.
“When the last student would finish, that was set as the end date for the program,” Moon said. “My office has a master list of all of the students that were in these programs, and we track them individually.”
Students within these programs, whether majors or minors, will be able to complete their majors and will have the courses they need offered.
Lastly, attendees voiced concerns over the rising tuition costs
Many students who depend on scholarships to attend Bradley have been anxious about not being able to afford it anymore due to rising expenses.
Michael stated the scholarships students get are valid “for four years” and are subject to change to deal with the concerns of Bradley becoming unaffordable.
Students coming from certain financial backgrounds will continue to receive their scholarships and may also receive more financial aid.
Overall, attendees of the general assembly said they feel the administration has been heading in the right direction and has made improvements from last year.
Michael encourages students to ask him questions or state their concerns either online or in person at his office. Contact information can be found on the Office of the President’s webpage.
