Advisory committee also discusses Biloxi, textbook issues

During its regular meeting yesterday, the Student Quality Advisory Committee discussed several issues including the Biloxi relief trip this spring, student technology concerns and textbook affordability.

Spring break trip to Biloxi

Ann Gosky, associate director for the Center for Student Involvement, updated the committee on Kent State United for Biloxi, the Hurricane Katrina relief trip scheduled for spring break. Students can receive one credit hour for the trip by registering on Web for Students under call number 22561.

Student Quality Advisory Committee vice chair Paul Marnecheck encouraged student groups to get involved in Kent State United for Biloxi as well.

“Send a representative to our meetings to get your organization on board,” Marnecheck said.

Additional information about the spring break trip is available at the Center for Student Involvement or through Undergraduate Studies.

Technology problems for students

The committee met with Edward Mahon, vice president for information services, to discuss campus technology. The committee members said Kent State should be taking more measures improving wireless Internet coverage for commuters and dorm residents. Marnecheck added the university should also make tech support more readily accessible to all students.

They also discussed problems with Kent State’s e-mail accounts. Members at the meeting presented several problems including difficulty forwarding Kent State e-mail to other accounts and mailboxes being too small.

“The common ground here is something needs to be done,” Marnecheck said.

Mahon said the committee form an advisory committee to meet with him to discuss the issue further. He wants to solve problems with Kent State e-mail by April. The committee welcomed the idea.

“We definitely appreciate he (Mahon) had plans and a concrete time table to discuss what needs to be done,” Marnecheck said.

Textbook affordability

Conflict management majors Sarah Muir and Samantha Nehrebecki continued discussing the textbook initiative program they introduced during the last committee meeting. Muir and Nehrebecki have put together a concrete proposal to create an institutionalized program that will make textbooks more affordable to students.

“This (proposal) is way overdue,” Marnecheck said. “Textbooks now seem to cost more than a semester of lodging.”

William Ross, executive director for the Undergraduate Student Senate, was present at the meeting and indicated problems with Kent State University Book Exchange, Student Senate’s textbook exchange program that aimed to lower textbook costs for students.

“I hate seeing funding for student activities wasted on this program,” Ross said. “The amount of students using the program has gone down since the BX has started.”

Several committee members said that Kent State University Book Exchange site is hard to find, which may explain its lack of usage. Ross added Student Senate was trying to make the Kent State University Book Ex program easier to find on Kent State’s Web site.

“I find it completely appalling we have links on the Kent State site to our university book store where we don’t profit,” Muir said after Ross’ remarks.

Muir and Nehrebecki will continue discussing their textbook affordability program at the next committee meeting scheduled for Feb. 16.

Contact student affairs reporter Aman Ali at [email protected].