Recently, the Parents Council asked its members
to give their impressions of Union, and I'm happy to say that we look very good to this constituency. Overall, 330 of the 388 respondents rated Union good to excellent in such areas as academic affairs, student and residential life, and extracurricular activities. However, forty-eight rated the institution average, and, at the other end of the spectrum, ten parents
said we were poor or fair.
The survey also asked parents to contribute comments, and their remarks were for the most part reassuring. We were delighted to read statements such as “teachers friendly, approachable, and competent,” “amazed at the quality, variety, nutrition” of food, and “great opportunities” for participation. We were thrilled when we saw comments such as “she is growing and developing into a wonderful adult” or “it has taught him the things that he wants and does not want for his life” or “the atmosphere of learning was almost palpable in comparison to that of other campuses we visited.” We were even happy (I think) to see “Union College taught my child how to deal with disappointments in his life.”
But, being an institution that is constantly looking for ways to improve, we also read with great interest the not-so-favorable comments. I would like to share some of them with you, along with some ideas of what we can do to address them.
There were numerous comments about drinking and the Greek system-“too much boozing,” as the parent of one senior put it, and “the Greek system detracts from academics” and “students are left on their own and abuse their freedom.”
As I have repeatedly said, despite many seemingly not hearing the message, I want to continue to treat eighteen-year-olds as adults (after all, they can vote in and die for this country) and to support Greek life so long as it entails neither discrimination nor hazing. We repeatedly discuss these issues with students (one well-attended session this year was led by the local district attorney, a Union alumnus), but I refuse to send security officers into houses to check for either of these “activities.” Drinking, despite efforts that range from non-alcoholic social events to individual counseling, continues to be a problem here and at virtually every American college campus. We do have work to do-a great deal of work.
A broader array of social opportunities was another often repeated sentiment. Coupled with that sentiment were comments that we should do more to encourage student involvement in volunteer and off-campus activities. Here, theme houses are part of the answer. From Smith House (whose members open its doors to a range of student organizations for meetings and events) to Wells House (where residents share a common interest in community service) to the newly-formed and
environmentally-minded Tree House, students are trying different approaches to living and learning. And we will continue to accommodate students' interests.
Another common theme was the condition of the residence halls, which too many felt needed work. “Rooms and dorms need updating” is how one parent put it; said another, “either fix the houses or replace them.” We need both to renovate existing facilities and to develop new accommodations, which presents us with a fundraising challenge and a space problem (which is the reason for our ongoing lawsuit on our Lenox Road properties).
Terms Abroad, while generally praised, elicited some criticism. As one parent put it, “the lack of openings and opportunity is a serious defect.” We now have more than two dozen international programs, and the number of students participating puts us among the top twelve schools in the nation. We also continue to explore further options, especially regarding exchanges, which have the benefit of bringing more international students to campus. But we will never have the resources to enable students to study wherever and whenever they choose.
Perhaps the chief complaint in our academic area came with advising. “There have been many wonderful teachers, but the academic advising needs to be more informative,” said the parent of one sophomore. We do a fine job with first-year students and an excellent job once students choose a major, but we recognize that we have a problem with sophomore advising.
I do not want alumni and parents reading this column to assume the worst. The critical comments were far outweighed by wonderful ones, and, even in the areas where some parents criticized us, others had nice comments (one parent, for example, said our residence halls seem “sturdy and long-lasting, very organized and clean”).
On the whole, the parents' responses made for encouraging reading. In fact, I do not think that I can praise Union any better than the parent of one junior: “Our daughter has been challenged by a strong academic program and has benefitted by having several strong professors. She has found many opportunities to strengthen her character. This has been a wonderful opportunity.”
To that parent-thank you! To all who participated and made suggestions-thank you. And to the alumni whose support has enabled us to do
so much-thank you. We will continue to try to improve!