Students sound off as part of reaccreditation process

Boston University students had a chance to rant and rave about BU at a panel hosted by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Wednesday.

The panel, led by George Washington University President Steven Knapp met with about 30 BU students in a question-and-answer session as part BU’s reaccreditation process. NEASC board members said students’ opinions are an integral part of the evaluation process that occurs once a decade.

Knapp said the board looks at 11 standards relating to BU’s mission statement, including faculty, students, Board of Trustees, student life, finances and the integrity of the university.

‘Reaccreditation is not based on opinions, it is based on NEASC,’ Knaff said. ‘The main role is to validate universities and to tell NEASC if the universities are acquiring with standards.’

Once the session began, the panel asked Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore to leave the room.

During the session, students generally said they were happy with BU, but some matters concerned them.

College of Art and Sciences junior Daniel Essrow said BU’s academic advising provides little to no help.

‘The academic advising program is horrendous,’ Essrow said. ‘It’s up to me to figure out my courses. To me, advising is more frustrating than helpful.”

Geraghty also said she had bad advising experiences. She said departments from different colleges and programs do not communicate with each other well enough.

School of Hospitality Administration sophomore Sam Everett said his school’s advisors have helped him in the past.

‘I’ve actually had a successful advising experience,’ he said. ‘At SHA, they really gave me fantastic help.’

Although several students said they were unhappy with advising, students said BU takes its academic policy seriously.

‘In [writing] classes, the rules of plagiarism are very clear, and professors help enforce the rules,’ Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences sophomore Mandy Patrick said.

Students answered questions about BU’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program, which pairs students with faculty mentors to work on research projects part-time during the school year or full-time during the summer.

SAR sophomore Stephen Iacono said he found the program helpful.

‘Professors are very willing to have undergraduates,’ he said. ‘UROP is very helpful for finding research.’

However, CAS sophomore Adrien Smith said UROP’ does not seek out some majors to participate.

‘As a social science major, we don’t get as much advertising on UROP,’ Smith said.

Panel member Pamela Gunter-Smith asked students what they thought of the technology and comforts of the academic buildings and housing.

CAS freshman Catherine Stein said Internet access could be improved.

‘We don’t have enough wireless Internet,’ Stein said. ‘BU caters to 4,000 students on campus. South Campus and East Campus don’t have wireless. When you’re moving around with your laptop sometimes, it is not feasible to connect with an ethernet cord.’

Attendees said they received a letter that said they were randomly selected to attend the meeting.

However, CAS senior Kathryn Geraghty said she doubted the random selection process.

‘I doubt that these kids were randomly selected just because we’re all either from working at the George Sherman Union or summer orientation staff,’ Geraghty said.