14 Sunday, March 11, 2018 Hawaii Tribune-Herald
UNIVERSITY TOWN
Town halls let students, staff voice ideas
On Sundays, University of
Hawaii at Hilo students
often trek to campus to
study outside the library before
it opens. The only problem
— restrooms and power outlets
in the area are lacking.
“Students were saying, ‘If
we want to come to campus and
study, we like to study outside the
library because it’s pretty calm
and serene on the weekends,” said
Farrah-Marie Gomes, campus vice
chancellor for Student Affairs. “But
they’d said, ‘When I need to go to
the bathroom, I have to pack all
my stuff and take it with me to the
only one open.’ And it’s kind of a
walk for students. And they’d sit
outside the library with their laptop
but there’s only a finite amount
of time until their laptop dies.”
Since receiving that feedback,
UH-Hilo has opened one
of its on-campus meeting areas
on Sundays for students to use
as a study area, Gomes said.
The room is filled with seating
areas, power outlets — and
it’s closer to bathrooms.
That simple request is an example
of change that has resulted
since UH-Hilo administrators
kicked off a new student town hall
effort earlier this school year. The
hourlong meetings aim to gather
input from students about topics
and concerns that pertain to them.
The meetings are led by administrators
and open to any student
on campus. Up to 12 students
have attended each meeting.
“There have been multiple benefits,”
Gomes said of the student
town halls. “One, they provide a
venue for students to share their
concerns and also share what’s
working. And two, they provide
administration an opportunity
to bounce ideas off students in
a way that doesn’t organically
happen, so you actually get
ABOVE: Farrah-Marie
Gomes, UH-Hilo vice
chancellor for student
affairs, leads a student
town hall meeting.
LEFT: Katie Brunk talks
about the Women’s
Center during a student
town hall meeting in late
February at UH-Hilo.
Photos:
HOLLYN JOHNSON/
Tribune-Herald
By KIRSTEN JOHNSON
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
See TOWN HALL Page 15