CAB expresses concerns to Strategic Plan Committee

By Paige Zorniger

Collegian Reporter

The fifth and final point of the University of Richmond's Strategic Plan aims to ensure each student has a "distinct" experience during his or her four years on campus.

Strategic Plan committee members say they hope that this point will help foster a feeling of connection, enthusiasm and togetherness among university community members.

During its meeting Oct. 15 in Gottwald Auditorium, the committee said feedback from alumni and students signaled a need for more recreational opportunities on campus, additional funding for student organizations, and increased training for leaders of student organizations.

But members of the community said many of the current traditions on campus -- including those associated with residence halls and the Commons -- should remain strong and not be forgotten.

Members of the committee say they hope to increase students' engagement with community service, study abroad programs, internships and research opportunities. They also said they were eager to see the university offer all students the ability to participate in these activities.

At the meeting, members from the Campus Activities Board members voiced their concerns about the lack of space available to host their events. Because CAB strives to gather large groups of students for its concerts, movies and other events, there's often no area large enough to host them, an issue made more difficult because they say the university's administration offers few dates to hold the events.

CAB members argued their goals aligned with university's because the organization offered an inclusive environment for students to participate in activities on campus.

Committee members say they hope the Strategic Plan encourages an increasingly unified campus and student body. University officials also hope to offer every year at least three large-scale events, which could involve as many on-campus organizations as possible and could include alumni.

On Oct. 20, Strategic Plan members will meet at 1:30 p.m. in the Brown-Alley Room to further discuss how to address the diversity point in the plan.

Contact reporter Paige Zorniger at paige.zorniger@richmond.edu