New listening boxes provide good feedback

At the beginning of the spring semester, North Lake began placing “Listening Boxes” at various places around campus which provide students and faculty alike the opportunity to express whatever concerns, suggestions or compliments they might have. Though the project has just begun, it has already produced encouraging results that have the members of North Lake’s administration excited about the possibilities.

The Listening Boxes are part of President Herlinda Glasscock’s ongoing efforts to foster openness on campus. According to Janis Browning, director of marketing and public information, who first thought up the idea of the boxes, this is the first stage in an effort to “funnel up” feedback from the North Lake community.

“She just wants more of a sense of what’s happening,” Browning said.

The first collection of these responses occurred on Feb. 27, yielding over 40 comments and suggestions. Patricia Corbett, special assistant to the president, has the unique responsibility of collecting the responses and then passing them along to the appropriate department head or vice president. Corbett organizes the comments in a chart, which will soon be made public to the campus.

“It will just be a growing table,” said Corbett. “As soon as we respond to the issues, then eventually the top ones will disappear and the bottom ones will move up unless they continue to be a problem.”

The chart, which has been made available to the News-Register and will be published online before the end of March, contains comments and concerns which are as varied as one would expect from a campus as diverse as NLC. One student recommends that the college make lockers free for students. Other students wish that free laptops and copies were provided for student use.

Some students simply wish to comment on their experience on campus. While parking and ongoing construction are common concerns, some students have expressed their gratitude for changes they’ve already seen. “The free newspapers for students is one of the best things that have happened since I’ve been on campus. Kudos to whoever thought of that,” reads one comment. “You have friendly rats,” reads another.

“Maybe someone, with all the construction, saw a rat,” said Corbett. “I’m glad to know it’s friendly!”

Browning says that the college intends to respond to every comment it receives. “Each suggestion will be acted upon, and we’ll put that action on the Internet,” she said.

Although students are allowed the opportunity to remain anonymous when leaving comments, Corbett is especially excited by the prospect of responding to students’ concerns on a personal basis. “I was especially pleased that some of the students signed them, because when students sign them we can respond directly to that student,” she said.

President Glasscock created Campus Conversations as a way of allowing students and faculty a chance to meet with members of the North Lake administration and talk about anything they wanted. The Listening Boxes are the newest method to provide the North Lake community with a way to voice their concerns and have them heard.

Listen box responses can be found at http://www.northlakecollege.edu/aboutnlc/listeningBox.html