Julia Garrison
News Editor
Every semester after approval ratings data has been collected, departments surveyed have the opportunity to respond to the findings. This semester, departments were given a week to respond to the results — and many responded within the Voice’s timeframe for comment.
Among those departments who received a 70% or higher approval rating, many reflected on their positive ratings and how they continue to work with students to continue their positive trend.
“We’ve heard students’ feedback and as a result we’ve simplified the application process for APEX Fellowships, and removed some redundancies in the APEX Fellows assignments,” Jenni Griffin, director of Advising, Planning and Experiential Learning (APEX) said in an email to the Voice. Griffin noted that APEX will also be able to offer more APEX micro-fellowships to students completing research or internships. APEX received a 72% overall approval rating — being one of the few departments to receive less than 10% overall disapproval.
Dean for Faculty Development Sarah Sobeck responded on behalf of the Faculty, who received a 90% overall approval rating.
“Faculty conversations and reflections highlight their passion [of] working with students,” Sobeck said in a comment to the Voice. Sobeck noted that the Academic Affairs office is prepared to “support faculty in all elements of their work.”
Answering on behalf of the Libraries was Librarian of the College Makiba Foster. Foster responded to recurring comments from students about the library’s operating hours, reiterating that multiple headcount studies reflect a drop in patronage in the last two hours of the library’s operational hours.
“To balance resources, we’ve found that closing at midnight for [Andrews-Gault Library] and 10 PM for Timken meets most students’ needs. However, recognizing the demand for extra study time during exams, we extend hours to 2 AM during these critical periods,” Foster explained.
Director of the Writing Center Alicia Brazeau responded on behalf of the Writing Center, which earned a 75% approval rating overall.
“[One] of our core beliefs in the Writing Center is that everything should be writer-directed: we try to empower writers to ask for what they want and learn about the options they have,” Brazeau said. “With the diverse range of majors among our student staff and two professional consultants who have been at the College for many years, we are able to help any student with assignments from any discipline.”
Among departments that make up the 50% to 69% overall approval rating were two dining locations: MacLeod’s C-Store with a 69% approval rating and Knowlton Science Café with a 62% approval rating. Marjorie Shamp, director of campus dining services, responded to a request for comment on behalf of all dining locations.
“Campus Dining has a dedicated and passionate group of staff members who enjoy seeing that their efforts to create memorable experiences and delicious menus are paying off,” Shamp said. Shamp also encouraged students to interact with internal surveys distributed by Creative Dining Services — noting that many new “favorites” across campus were student ideas, such as the inclusion of Poppi soda in the C-Store. Shamp did not respond directly to multiple calls for later hours at Lowry Dining Center or calls for Boo Bears Brew to return to campus.
Lori Hartzler, director of nursing, health and wellbeing at the Longbrake Student Wellness Center, responded on behalf of the center. In her response, Hartzler noted that they had received student feedback from student groups and will begin reintroducing pregnancy tests to the self-service areas at Longbrake.
Among departments and programs that received predominantly neutral ratings, Religious and Spiritual Life (RSL), Scot Council, the Dean of Students Office and Pathways responded to a request for comment.
Responding on behalf of RSL was Erin Guzmán, the college’s chaplain.
“[We] feel very affirmed [by the approval ratings] that we are doing good work on campus and that students can trust us.” Guzmán said. She also noted that many events that RSL has been able to facilitate for community members, like Cider and Stickers, continue to keep RSL visible on campus.
“RSL considers this season of life to be full of wonderful, challenging, and formidable moments, and we want students to feel like they can bring their full selves while engaging authentically with questions of spirituality, faith, values, and life purpose,” Guzmán said.
President of Scot Council Andre Yazhbin ’25 responded on behalf of the student organization. Yazhbin shared meeting times for all committee gatherings within Scot Council, explaining that all committees are open to students outside of Scot Council. The meeting locations and times that are open to the student community are as follows:
- General Assembly – Mondays 7 to 8 p.m., The Alley
- Budget Committee – Wednesdays 3 to 4 p.m., Lowry 251
- Conduct Committee – Fridays 4 to 5 p.m., Lowry 251
- Constitution Committee – Wednesdays 4 to 5 p.m., Lowry 251
- Social Justice and Equity Committee – Every other Friday 2 to 3 p.m., Lowry 251
- Outreach Committee – Thursdays 6 to 7 p.m., Lowry 251
- Liaison Committee – Thursdays 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Lowry 251
- Executive Board Meeting – Wednesdays 7 to 8 p.m., Lowry 251
- Gender & Sexuality Diversity Constituency Office Hours – Sundays 1 to 2 p.m., Lowry 251
- Racial & Ethnic Diversity Constituency Office Hours – Mondays 6 to 7 p.m., Lowry 251
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Ashley Reid responded to a request for comment on behalf of the Dean of Students office. Dean Reid directed students to review the weekly Student Sway (“Wooster Student Weekly”) for more information on events regarding the Dean of Students office.
Pathways Program Coordinator Becky Webb responded on behalf of the Pathways program, explaining that they are attempting to add more Pathways and encouraged students to send their ideas for a new Pathway to APEX and her.
Alexa Konstantinos, vice president of marketing and communications, responded on behalf of the President”s office. Konstantinos noted that the President”s office was beginning to make strides within its three-year plan: “Framing Our Future.” Konstantinos explained that some of the initiatives within the plan were already “beginning to bear fruit,” noting the “Transition to Career” summer program and the introduction of a musical theatre Pathway.
“Nonetheless, it is still early days for many of the initiatives,” Konstantinos said. “As we dig deeper into these efforts, we are committed to seeking student input and collaboration to help the College move forward on things our students care most about.”
Assistant Director of Campus Safety, Operations, and Communications Kevin Cooper commented on behalf of Campus Safety — which garnered a 31% overall disapproval rating.
“While approval ratings provide some insight, we understand that true campus safety is built on ongoing engagement, trust, and collaboration,” Cooper wrote. “Campus Safety remains dedicated to maintaining open communication, addressing concerns, and refining our strategies to best serve the campus community. We will continue prioritizing visibility, responsiveness, and overall service to ensure every member of our community feels safe, secure and supported.”
Candace Chenoweth responded on behalf of the Global Engagement Office (GEO) and the Study Abroad & TREK programs. Chenoweth noted that GEO has recently implemented a new pre-departure and reorientation framework. Chenoweth also noted improvements across GEO’s website.
Nicholas Szymanski responded on behalf of the Registrar’s Office. Szymanski noted that the Registrar would be producing their own survey internally to learn more about areas where they can improve. Szymanski also added that a reasoning behind their higher rating this semester was the office’s approachability and accessibility.
Director of Residence Life John Reynolds responded for comment on behalf of residential life.
“Continuing from the fall, our office has focused on improving housing selection transparency, streamlining lockout procedures, and increasing student engagement through CoW chats, our programming model, and the work by the RAs,” said Reynolds. “Our department excels at fostering a sense of community through specialized housing options, ensuring students have spaces that align with their identities and interests. We’ve also done well in responding to student concerns by adapting policies and opening feedback channels.”
Dana Kennedy, director of financial aid, responded on behalf of the financial aid office, explaining that the office is required to work within the restraints of federal budgeting — which might result in some students’ frustration. Kennedy highlighted the office’s services outside of financial aid, which includes their financial wellness program.
Director of Athletics Lynn Holleran responded to a request for comment for the athletics department. Holleran explained that the department is working within the realm of the Strategic Action Plan — which is focused on student engagement regarding attendance at sporting events. Holleran noted that the athletics department was also attempting to involve more students in their intramural sporting programs this year.
The Voice will continue to produce an approval ratings survey at the middle of every semester to gauge student interest in extracurriculars and academic programs.
The offices of Multicultural Student Affairs, International Student Services, Sexuality and Gender Inclusion and Student Engagement did not respond to a request for comment. Representatives for the programs of I.S., first-year seminar and Fraternity and Sorority Life did not respond to a request for comment. Thank you to the directors and volunteers across departments for getting in touch with the Voice on the survey’s results.
