Students Voice Their Thoughts at the Forum on the Hilltop

Students voiced their opinions and concerns to President Sidney A.

Ribeau and other administrators at the "Forum on the Hilltop" held by

HUSA last night.

Administrators including Provost James Wyche and Associate Provost for

Academic Affairs, Alvin Thornton, discussed academic renewal and other

hot topics in the Blackburn Ballroom.

President Ribeau iterated that academic renewal is an important aspect

to the growth of Howard University. Global competiveness was a major

part of his speech on how to achieve academic renewal. He encouraged

all students to at least travel abroad once during their undergraduate

studies.

An "international footprint" should be made so that Howard can compete

with other institutions, Ribeau said.

Ribeau added that Howard should be "one of the best instuitions of all

time that just so happens to be an HBCU."

Through academic renewal there has been an evaluation of all academic

programs in order to ensure that they are competitive.

Also, physical renovations were a main point during the town hall

meeting. There are plans for a new dormitory on the intersection of

Fourth and College streets as well as a new academic building on Sixth

and Bryant streets, the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering

building.

Julian Lewis, senior political science major, questioned the value of

his education at Howard. He brought the audience's attention to the

lack of professors within the political science department. Lewis came

to Howard with "a level of expectations" but he feels as if he is

"being cheated." The classes are "strikingly generic" and there are "a

deficient number of teachers," Lewis said.

Ribeau responded in saying that problem is not in the number of

teachers. Instead he raised the question, "Are we deploying them in

the right areas?"

"The shortage is real," said Ribeau."We need to size our majors with

the capacity to teach those students."

Ribeau believes in getting messages to students in a timely fashion.

With financial aid, he has devised a plan to have a central clearing

house where financial aid questions can be answered. HUSA President

Brandon Harris said that moving enrollment management to student

affairs is another way for students to have easier access to

information. That way there could be more of a "student focus," said

Harris.

Jason Riley, sophomore supply chain management major, asked when

students could  expect chalkboards to be replaced in classrooms.

Ribeau responded, saying that issue arises from a communication

problem between students and administrators. Students should

understand  that "prioritizing renovations: means starting from the

outside then working inwards, Ribeau offered.

 Although there is miscommunication, he believes that there needs to

be accountability so that students can know what to expect.

Other lacking of resources included financial aid. Ribeau said that

need-based aid has increased fron 7.6 million to 12 million to over

1,600 students since the 2009  program to assist the neediest

students, students with an expected family contribution of zero, as

determined by the United States Department of Education.

"We are committed to doing everything we can for students who have the

work ethic to be successful," said Ribeau. "We need to raise more

money to grow our endowment to reinvest in our students."

Through retirement programs for teachers, revitalization of buildings,

and global competiveness Ribeau hopes to make sure that students

"degrees are maximized."  Ribeau believes that with student "input

about what's going on in the classrooms we can do better."