'In the Loop' on commuter issues
Josh Kurtz
Issue date: 1/14/11 Section: News
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"The more input I get from students, the better off I'll be," Fry said at the start of the commuter town hall.
Fry also said he would be happy to visit student interest or affinity groups, and that he hopes to "see the way Drexel interacts and then plug [himself] into that." He mentioned his newly implemented office hours and a plan to send students a general communications e-mail each quarter as another way to communicate with students.
Nick Daniels, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering, said he was impressed with the town hall and with Fry.
"I think he treated all our ideas really fairly," Daniels said.
Daniels said he appreciated "how realistic [Fry] was," and that "he didn't just tell us the minimum. He told us the whole story."
Tariq Parker, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering, added that Fry "seemed like he really wanted to know what we had to say" and answered every question directly.
Other administrators who spoke during the town hall included Senior Vice President of Student Life & Administrative Services James Tucker and Dean of Students David Ruth.
The town hall, which took place shortly after the Jan. 11-12 snowfall, featured student ideas about how to help commuter students better deal with inclement weather.
The suggestions included creating a network of students who live on campus who could host commuters for a night if they are unable to travel home due to the weather. Other ideas included a more timely way to alert students when teachers cancel classes due to weather, so that commuters can be sure about class cancellations before they travel to campus.
A student also suggested implementing a system where students receive a pass for missing class if they are absent because public transportation is delayed or breaks down.
Ruth said the commuter town hall featured more questions on academics than previous forums did.
One academic question dealt with concerns about outdated facilities.
Fry said the problem of outdated labs "is a major issue," and that equipment and physical space shortcomings are one of the University's greatest challenges.
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