Thoughts from the Corner Office: SGA Column

The following was given on January 21, 2010 by Hugo J. Jury, President of the Student Government Association.Good Evening Assumption College,

I welcome you all here to Kennedy Hall this evening and thank you for your attendance. Tonight, I must fulfill an obligation and privilege. Tonight I am presenting the State of the College as it appears to the understanding of the Student Government Association. As the representatives of all undergraduate students here at the College, we have a unique perspective of the events taking place on and off campus. The Student Government is empowered by the students to voice their opinions and collect information on their behalf. It is on these grounds that we as an organization are entitled to make the following few comments and recommendations.

This year has been marked by a noticeable and necessary move towards refocusing this College around its honorable and surely justified mission. At the beginning of this year, the President of this College invited you and I to work together to build a College that sponsors and reflects the Assumption's motto, "Until Christ be Formed in You." The work of the College, and particularly of the students this year fulfilled that dictum well. Certainly this year, the College has placed great tasks ahead of itself. Yet our College has faced these challenges well. Only by understanding the College's mission, and working to best live the spirit of that mission everyday, can our challenges be overcome.

We began this year with a restructured Matriculation ceremony, welcoming the new freshman class. Certainly, this new freshman class has brought a great amount of energy and enthusiasm. But this new class ushered in a new spirit of academic responsibility as well. What was most special at this Matriculation was the recitation of the Academic Honesty Pledge. This pledge was developed by students, faculty and administrators of the Academic Honesty Task Force. The Pledge expresses to all students the need to perform honorably and with the right intentions. The Academic Honesty Task Force is in its second year, and is comprised of students, faculty and administrators committed to developing concrete steps to eradicate plagiarism at Assumption. The Task Force is exploring ideas such as an honor board and increased usage of plagiarism detection software along with other resources. Every student present at the Matriculation ceremony recited the pledge, showing their adherence and acceptance of responsibility for their academic endeavors. This only serves to strengthen and bolster the education that we receive here at Assumption. For if we all put forth our own genuine effort, our classroom experiences and our social growth will be truly honest and sincere. In this Academic Honesty pledge, the College shows its true spirit. The strength of Assumption College does not lie in its endowment, it does not lie in the quality of its building, nor the beauty of its grounds. The strength of Assumption College lies in the hearts and souls of its students. This Academic Honesty Pledge only serves to remind ourselves and others of the goodness of the student, and the greatness of the pursuit we are all engaged in.

This community of learning is faced with one of the greatest decisions it will ever make, a decision that can change the College's very nature. The proposed restructuring of the General Education Requirement to a possible Core Curriculum could change the very spirit of this institution. Such is a transformative process that cannot be underestimated nor ignored by the citizens of this Community. As citizens of this Community, we are endowed with certain responsibilities. These responsibilities necessitate an active and engaged participation with such matters. Anyone paying attention understands the gravity and seriousness of a possible transition between the General Education Requirement to a Core Curriculum. But let me emphasize, that this is not just a matter to be left to the faculty and the administrators. The Student Government Association has actively participated in the discourse, and even enjoyed a presentation from Dr. Travis, our interim Provost. The faculty committee has released three proposals in hopes that one of them, or perhaps a hybrid of two or three, will be selected by a faculty vote in the spring. The Executive Board of the SGA is in the process of drafting a recommendation to the faculty committee, which will be sent out by the end of the week. I encourage all members of the student body to communicate any interest in the matter to the Student Government Association.

One of the most important endeavorsunderway this spring is the hiring of the new Provost to replace interim Provost Fred Travis. Members of Student Government will serve on a student interviewing panel along with other student leaders, and will be able to meet with the candidates one on one to ask questions and engage in a dialogue with these individuals. We would like to take this opportunity to remind the student body that they can get involved with the process by attending the open campus sessions held during each of the candidate's visits. The dates and times of these sessions will be made available to the campus community in the coming week.

Academic programs are growing from an administrative standpoint as well. The Tagaste Program has continued to expand, with even more course linkages, professors, and students. The College is very fortunate that these professors are willing to volunteer their time and resources to this program. In the coming year, the College plans to collect and evaluate data regarding the Tagaste Project to determine concretely whether or not the Program's vision for education is more effective than the traditional model. This program is a fine example of the College's commitment to academic excellence and collaboration between academic disciplines. Furthermore, the Western Foundations program continues to expand. The recent addition of a subsidized travel component to the program offers students an unparalleled educational experience.