The Scene staff
The fall semester is well under way. Students, faculty and staff are trying to learn about one another and find their way around campus.
During the process, we must consider the concept of “community building.” This leads to success in the workplace and in all educational endeavors.
Some of the ways we can build a community at Forest Park are practicing good communication skills and showing understanding, empathy and sympathy toward one another.
We each have talents that we can use to help build a community. We all have positive traits that we can exhibit as part of our daily routines. That includes students, staff and faculty.
Using positive language is another very good way of helping to build a community.
As a returning student, I have observed interactions that could tear down a community rather than build it up. Some departments need training on dealing with students and each other.
Last semester, I witnessed a situation in which a staff member could have made great friends with a student, but the staff member was so adamant that the student take a particular class, the student was turned off and left the room.
The staff member could have said, “If you feel uncomfortable taking this class, you can come back and talk with me, and I will be more than happy to help you feel comfortable.”
Instead the staff member said, “This is the policy and you gotta take this class or you ain’t gonna graduate.”
Things like this have happened to me, too.
Because of a disability, I do some of my college work through the Access Office. Recently, I had to special-order a textbook, which was late in coming.
My class instructor asked, “Have you taken the test?” When I told her I was still reading the chapter, she said, “If you don’t take the test today, I will give you a zero for the rest of the semester.
There have been people in this class who got a 52 on the test, but at least they took it.”
Needless to say. I took the test, and I felt very frustrated by the instructor’s lack of understanding.
The instructor could have said, “Let me know when you are ready to take the test, and we can work on some ways to help you do better than you think you can.”
Faculty and staff are here to be role models for students. Students are here to learn from faculty, staff and each other.
Being kind and considerate can help build a community. Each of us has a talent, whether it be writing, reading, speaking or singing. Even having a nice personality can be a talent.
We can attract people to us by using our talents, but if the talents are used in the wrong way, they can drive people away.
Making students feel comfortable should be a main goal at the college. Many are afraid. Some feel awkward, uncomfortable or simply discouraged.
For community building, we need to use the language of kindness instead of saying things like, “I can’t do that,” “This is the policy” or “I can’t help you,” or ignoring students who need assistance.
I have found a maze of misunderstanding and a lot of bureaucracy at Forest Park. It is very frustrating, not only for students, but for faculty and staff as well.
Sometimes it seems like no one really wants to help. People simply want to “follow policy.” But policy has its good and bad points, depending on how it is used.
Personally, I have not seen very many faculty and staff members go above and beyond to make students feel comfortable. I may not see everything, but what I do see is more negativity than positivity.
I remember my first day back on campus. I wanted to meet Julie Fickas, who was then serving as interim president. I went to the information desk and asked for directions to her office.
There was all kinds of confusion because no one seemed to know who Dr. Fickas was, and the employees didn’t make much of an effort to find out. This would have been good for them and good for the new person lost in the chaos.
People working the information desk should know how to get around campus and help others get around.
Finally, a strange woman came up and told me how to catch the elevator to the second floor and directed me to some offices, but none belonged to Dr. Fickas.
I rolled up and down the hall in my wheelchair until someone noticed that I was lost and helped me find the right office.
It is apparent that Forest Park has some problems that need to be addressed in order for the community to be “built” and work properly. I visited another campus within the district and found the atmosphere to be more amicable.
I think our community-building skills at Forest Park need to be honed. By communicating in a proper way, not only will we be helping ourselves, we will be helping everyone to reach his or her potential.