Concerns about exposing North Lake to legal action led to changes
Since they were introduced in 2005, North Lake College's listening boxes have provided students and faculty with an anonymous means of providing feedback to the administration.
As of this June, college officials have changed the way listening box comments will be handled and disseminated to the North Lake community.
Instead of maintaining an archive of received comments, only the most recent month's comments will be available on North Lake's Web site. Some with names will be withheld.
Dr. Herlinda Glasscock, North Lake College's president, said concerns about exposing the school to legal action led to the changes. "I don't want us to end up in a series of lawsuits," Glasscock said.
The concern, Glasscock explained, is that by publishing comments naming a specific individual, the college could leave itself open to being sued for libel if the comments turn out to be untrue.
Patricia Corbett, administrative assistant to the president, thinks the changes in the policy are generally for the better.
"We want the listening box to help us grow," said Corbett, who believes that making complaints publicly available, when they contain individual names, can hurt the college rather than solve problems.
However, Corbett pointed out that, while a comment involving an individual won't be published, the college will still take action where appropriate and follow up with whoever made the complaint if contact information is provided.
While each month's comments will only be available for a limited period online, Corbett said, the president's offi ce keeps copies of all past comments that will be made available to anyone who needs access to them.
Concerns that the changes in policy could lead to problems being overlooked or swept under the carpet are unwarranted, according to Glasscock.
Glasscock said that while certain complaints will be edited out of future listening box comments, North Lake College and its administration remain dedicated to addressing all issues, whether they refl ect well on the college or not.
"It's not going to be all sunshine," Glasscock said. "That wouldn't be a realistic view."