CCSG adopts standards

The Council of Commonwealth Student Governments passed a proposal at its meeting this weekend that would ensure Commonwealth Campus students minimum standards of service in areas such as personal counseling, career development counseling and health services.

"Minimum standards are what the students want and minimum standards are what they are going to get," Bednarski said.

There is no consistency in services provided to students when comparing University Park and the Commonwealth Campuses, Bednarski said. When such services are needed on one of the campuses, funding is generally reallocated from the student affairs budgets.

"Services at the Commonwealth Campuses, provided through Student Affairs, do not currently meet the needs of students," the proposal states. "This is evidenced through student satisfaction surveys, complaints received from student leaders throughout the Commonwealth, and misuse of student activity fee money to provide services."

By establishing a guideline that will have to be met at every campus and be provided for through the University's general fund, Bednarski said, he hopes the student activity funding will be left alone. The general fund is comprised of student tuition and state appropriations.

Council members were concerned with when the standards would be implemented.

The University is being prudent with this course of action, Bednarski said. But he wants a defined timeline when the reconstruction plans are in place.

"If we saw a timeline, that will really show us the commitment on the part of the University," Bednarski said.

The implementation of the standards will depend on the categories of large or small commuter or residential campuses, Asbury said. The residential status and size will determine "what basic services ought to exist."

This is a necessary step in order to make the most of money that will be allocated from the general fund, Asbury said.

"We have to work together because there isn't going to be a big pile of money to spread around," said J. Thomas Eakin, assistant vice president for student affairs.

Some council members said the problems with minimum standards at the campuses need to be addressed.

"I'm hoping this will open everyone's eyes to the fact that we do need a lot at the Commonwealth Campuses and that we should be meeting these standards," said Jamie Rizzuto, public relations representative for Schuylkill Campus.

Bednarski said he is pleased with the reaction his proposal received. He still has work to do, but he said that this is a major step forward on the parts of students.

"They are ready to take formal action to bring these services up to speed as far as quality and availability are concerned," Bednarski said.