Fostering Opportunities for All Students: Dean of Students Monthly Forum

 Bri Wasil, News Editor

This past Tuesday, Dean of Students Mike Yates offered students the opportunity to discuss and share how their experiences at Canisius have been so far. In past years, he has met with multiple resident assistants and orientation leaders along with leaders of larger student organizations to get a better understanding of how the school year is progressing for students. This year he emphasized how he wanted to put a couple of less formal times together for students. He stated, “I wanted to have some specific times where I could have more open things for students to talk, and not even with a formal agenda – being like, tell me what’s bad or tell me what’s good – but like, what’s going on?” The result of this first forum seemed to be beneficial for the students who attended. 

Students talked about a variety of topics such as what changes were happening on campus, concerns, and ways they could better their campus community. A couple of these topics highlighted the need to make more “student spaces” with a strong concern towards advocating for both residents and commuters alike. There was also considerate reflection about whether the campus accurately represents student voices through the programming events put on for the entire campus and through portraying student stories. 

The discussion explored the ways in which administration could build a better connection between students and the larger campus community not only to get more feedback from students, but also to capture students’ individual lives on campus. While the university communications highlighted some stories, Yates wanted to emphasize underscoring the everyday stories of students: “I sometimes just want to tell what some students are doing on a Tuesday in the Winter [Student] Center.” Overall, the forum focused on ways to give students more opportunities at Canisius, so they can not only succeed throughout their time here, but can also be supported while learning and being equipped with all of life’s necessary skills and tools for after they graduate. Your voice matters; the next forum will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.