The Student Senate provides the student body the opportunity to communicate with various school departments of the school during their annual Town Hall meeting.
The meeting was held on Wednesday, Feb. 22 and saw robust participation from nearly all academic departments at Lewis University. This event served as a vital forum for students to voice their inquiries and seek comprehensive clarification on pressing issues pertinent to their collegiate experience.
Among the multiple topics discussed during this session was the recent bomb threat incident reported by the Lewis University Police Department (LUPD.) Students expressed apprehension regarding the timing and communication strategies employed in response to the perceived threat.
Chief of Police Mike Zegadlo, in a display of transparency and accountability, addressed the concerns raised by the student body. He acknowledged the shortcomings in the department’s initial communication regarding the threat, conceding to a lapse in clarity and precision. He clarified that there was never an actual threat to the safety of the campus community, but rather an insidious attempt to plant seeds of fear and panic.
Emphasizing the importance of public safety, Zegadlo shed light on LUPD’s stringent protocol for assessing the veracity and severity of such threats. In this instance, the threat level was deemed to be low, prompting a discreet and methodical approach to neutralizing the perceived risk before disclosing the information to the public.
On the other hand, the Town Hall meeting served as a crucial forum for students to address administrative concerns regarding the integration of students from Augustine College into Lewis University. President Dr. Livingston provided insight into the timeline, noting the completion of the process of the union in late 2023. He indicated that, for the interim period, students would continue to receive diplomas from their respective institutions. However, he expressed optimism about expediting the transition so that all students, regardless of their original institution, would ultimately graduate with a diploma from Lewis University.
Eduarda (Duda) Marcon Pazdzicki da Silva, Director of Communications for the Student Senate of Lewis University, shared that the event was immensely beneficial for campus engagement. Marcon emphasizes its value in providing a direct avenue for students to pose pressing questions to those in a position to provide concrete answers.
This facilitated the alleviation of many concerns circulating among students on campus. Moreover, Marcon asserts that the event served to clarify issues such as the bomb case, further enhancing transparency and understanding within the university community.
The Town Hall meeting convened by the Student Senate served as a testament to the university’s unwavering dedication to fostering open communication, transparency, and accountability within its diverse and vibrant student body. By actively engaging with student concerns and proactively addressing pressing issues, the university reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing a safe, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating campus environment conducive to holistic student development and growth.
