Photo courtesy 0f Amanda Sanders.
While the College’s ‘Defy Boundaries’ campaign has sprung into action on a fundraising rampage that has accumulated more than 200 million dollars, it remains unclear as to what exactly the money will be used for. Arts Editor Caoimhe Markey, ‘23, recently interviewed President Katherine Bergeron about the campaign, however, the means of communication between students and administration as to where this money will most effectively be spent is muddled by the bureaucratic operations of an institution like Connecticut College. The donation link onDefy Boundaries web page directs users to four options, one simply being “Area of Greatest Need.” The site offers no insight about the specifics of this “Area.”
In an effort to make clear the most pressing needs of our current student body, The College Voice has conducted a poll around campus common spaces, asking students, “What is the area of greatest need on campus in terms of funding?”
In wake of the recent voyeurism incident in early November, and in conjunction with similar instances over the past few years, funding for the understaffed and underfunded office of Sexual Violence Prevention and Advocacy (SVPA) was one of the most popular responses. Similarly, other offices of support, including Student Counseling Services and DIEI (Department of Institutional Equity and Inclusion), (the office SVPA is housed under), have been deemed important by the student body.
Room and board, which affects nearly every student’s daily life on campus, is also a priority to students, who stressed the need for the renovation of Conn’s outdated dorms. There also appears to be a great desire for more dining options on campus, as the limited hours of Jane Addams Dining Hall have affected students living on South campus. This notion also plays into the issue of benefits for staff, as the restricted dining hours limit salary opportunities.
With all of the advertising that the College does to promote its fundraising efforts, such as last year’s ‘biggest announcement in school history’ and the ever-rising tuition, Conn students expect the exceptional, but our polling strongly suggests basic needs are not even being met. The next few years have the potential to be transformational for the College, and by involving students in the decision-making process regarding the large influx of donations, Conn will be stronger for the next generation of students.
