Pizza, drinks and one interactive presentation went untouched and unheard during the students-only Strategic Academic Plan (SAP) Town Hall on April 30 in the Academic Resource Center (ARC).
SAP members planned the town hall for students in an effort to increase outreach, but no one showed up. The large-scale SAP program prioritizes academic areas to strengthen the university, build stronger student programs, create new faculty research opportunities and bolster the university’s global impact, according to its 2019 Final Draft.
“We are extremely collaborative and communicative,” said Herbie Lee, vice provost for Academic Affairs. “[Our] work comes from 18 months of collaboration and generating ideas.”
UC Santa Cruz faculty offer input on the SAP, but student voices remain unheard in this institutional endeavor. Tuesday’s student-only town hall at the ARC wasn’t the only town hall to host a crowd without students. City on a Hill Press has reported low student turnouts at past SAP meetings.
SAP’s schedule will continue as planned and a final version will be published in June.
The next SAP town halls will take place May 8, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Humanities 202 and May 9, 10-11 a.m. in McHenry Library, room 4286. Both town halls are open to anyone.
