Iowa State Daily, October 2017 Iowa State Daily, 2017 11-2-2017 Iowa State Daily (November 2, 2017) Iowa State Daily Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastatedaily_2017-10 Recommended Citation Iowa State Daily, "Iowa State Daily (November 2, 2017)" (2017). Iowa State Daily, October 2017. 24. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastatedaily_2017-10/24 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State Daily, 2017 at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa State Daily, October 2017 by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. MAYORAL CANDIDATES WRESTLING All of the Ames mayoral candidates Dane Pestano plans to leave his IOWA will speak at a forum hosted by Stu- mark as he prepares for his final dent Government at 8 p.m. tonight season as a member of the Iowa STATE at the Memorial Union. State wrestling team. DAILY ONLINE ONLINE An independent student newspaper serving Iowa State since 1890. THURSDAY 11.02.2017 No. 53 Vol 213 50° 30° AN ISD EDITORIAL MORE ABOUT THE SURVEY: This survey is a part of an effort for the university to work toward one of the goals listed in the strategic plan to “continue to enhance and cultivate the ISU Experience where faculty, staff, students and visitors are safe and feel welcomed, supported, included and valued by the university and each other.” Students at a public university have an obligation to This goal, we argue, is largely because students, faculty the public. Each one of us — no matter how we identi- and staff pushed for it. Our voices do make an impact, fy — has an obligation to give back to the community. but only when we speak up. While we might not all be That obligation means, in one form or another, making willing to publicly write or speak our opinions, giving campus a better place for those who come after us. honest feedback via an online survey allows a more private setting to offer our perspectives. Being active and civically engaged should be the norm, Through the survey, the university can develop ways not a rarity. to better improve the atmosphere on campus. Things Unfortunately, in the case of the campus climate sur- like the Principles of Community can be the forefront vey, many students haven’t chosen to be civically engaged. of the university’s focus to improve the ways each of us The university has given any student a simple way to think about the actions we take. voice concerns, but most haven’t taken it yet. Luckily, As much as it is hard to receive negative criticism, the survey is being extended. without it the university cannot improve. Likewise, But it’s not too late. Make your voice heard. knowing what is going well — or somewhat well — will As of Monday, the task force charged with issuing the allow the campus to capitalize on those strengths. campus climate survey didn’t have enough student re- The survey should take you no longer than 20 min- sponses to be statistically sound. What does this mean? If utes. It takes less than 20 minutes to make an impact on the university is to use these results, they couldn’t include campus for the greater good. any of the student voice because there aren’t enough The ISD Editorial Board not only again encourages, participants to represent the population at Iowa State. but also urges, ISU students to make your voices heard The task force has since extended the deadline to Nov. through the campus climate survey. Additionally, we 7. Make your voice heard. encourage student leaders, faculty and staff to push As the website suggests, the campus climate survey is participation in the survey amongst your network. everyone’s responsibility. Students, faculty and staff have - The ISD Editorial Board the opportunity to weigh in about their “perceptions of living, working and learning at Iowa State.” The com- munity needs input from those who have had a range of experiences on campus so the university administration knows what areas should be improved. The survey is meant for students of color and white students. It’s meant for women and men. It’s meant for students who have disabilities and those who don’t. It’s meant for students who have served in the military, are serving in the military, have never served or plan to serve in the military. It’s meant for students across the gender spectrum and along the socioeconomic class ladder. It’s made for students from all of the colleges. It’s meant for each and every student. Make your voice heard. If there is one thing that is almost as frustrating as issues on campus, it’s students not getting involved or giving input about those issues. We are consistently exposed to discussions about how Iowa State could be improved. Make your voice heard. NEWS 02 NEWS Iowa State Daily Thursday, November 2, 2017 CAMPUS Low survey participation leads to survey extension BY DANIELLE.GEHR urged students to get involved stating the survey @iowastatedaily.com helps the university identify successful initiatives, uncover current climate roadblocks or inconsisten- The Iowa State administration is ready to listen, cies and develop the current programs. but only 8 percent of students have taken the op- Reginald Stewart, vice president for diversity and portunity to be heard. inclusion, was a major part in implementing the campus climate survey. The website offers resources Iowa State opened up the first campus climate for those affected by the survey’s sometimes difficult survey since 2004 and after a month, less than 10 subject matter and a frequently asked questions page. percent of students have participated which is sta- “To make it very clear and transparent, the most tistically insufficient to get accurate results. important piece I think with the climate survey is If the university can’t get a large enough sample, take the survey and encourage your classmates and the student voice may not be heard. The deadline friends or co-workers to take it because that infor- has been extended to Tuesday, leaving five days for mation is critical in moving forward,” Stewart said. more students to take the survey. Stewart said some of the information will be the Kate Gregory, senior vice president for university anecdotal experiences shared by community mem- COURTESY OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY services, said the survey is a way for “ideas and rec- bers as well as areas of weakness. Kate Gregory, senior vice president for university services, said the last campus ommendations to be communicated in a broad and “It’s an opportunity to take a very clear compre- climate survey conducted in 2004 resulted in various campus innovations. consistent way to the leadership of the university in hensive sort of pulse check and campuses need to order to make change happen.” do that. The important thing is, our last survey was survey, she said she thinks more people would The 2004 survey brought changes to the university in 2004, so we’re sort of behind the bar in doing participate if they knew the impact it could have. still seen today such as the implementation of the these,” Stewart said. “I had no idea that from the 2004 survey that Ombuds Office which offers impartial, confidential He said the frequency of the surveys needs to the [Multicultural Center] was created, that other conflict management assistance. improve so they can look at which outcomes of the agencies and offices were created. I think providing Other additions to the university include the previous survey affected the campus climate. that information would’ve been really helpful,” Principles of Community, the creation of a univer- “If students want to have the opportunity to Frisvold said. sity-level diversity committee and the Multicultural change things at Iowa State and make a difference, Salary staff have the highest percentage of partici- Center found in the Memorial Union. then taking the survey, getting their voice heard is pation with 37.9 percent, followed by tenure eligible “Their previous campus survey ... many of the the best way to do it,” Gregory said. faculty at 33.9 percent and nontenure eligible faculty things that students and faculty and staff, but “So having one person out of 36,000 say some- at 30.6 percent. Out of the entire Iowa State com- especially students, have become reality like the thing in the survey, it’ll get documented and noted munity, 13.2 percent have participated in the survey. Multicultural Center and things like that,” Gregory and heard, but the more people who say it, the louder The survey can be found at https://www.campus- said. “I’ve taken the survey, it’s easy to take, it’s quick that concern becomes and the more powerful of climate.iastate.edu/survey. to take ... and it really covers a lot of things about message it sends to leadership.” “The survey can be a tool that a person can use just how people feel at Iowa State. Diversity is one Megan Frisvold, senior in global resource systems, to really voice whatever they are concerned about,” element of that, but only one element.” took the survey after finding out the numbers were Gregory said. “Climate is a word that covers really In a letter from interim President Ben Allen, he low. After learning what came out of the 2004 just everything about how a person feels.” Election commission discusses StuGov election reform BY ALEX.CONNOR @iowastatedaily.com sequences to follow.