Monday’s Faculty Senate meeting imparted calls for campus and community involvement from the University’s faculty.
Student Director of Geaux Big Baton Rouge Elaine Giles asked faculty members to encourage their students to volunteer with Geaux Big.
Geaux Big has a volunteer opportunity April 20, where students will help the local community by painting houses, participating in yard work, cleaning and gardening and other tasks.
“We really need the help to get students to volunteer,” Giles said. “Volunteering is a great way to get involved… It gets us engaged with the issues that face our community, as well as getting to know people in the community.”
Giles said the goal is to get 1,000 students to dedicate four hours of their time to volunteer April 20.
Students can visit Geaux Big’s website to find out more at geauxbig.lsu.edu.
Jonathon Hyde, associate director of Residence Education, encouraged faculty members to apply for the new Faculty-in-Residence program.
Hyde said Residential Life is looking for the faculty’s input on which faculty members should participate in the Faculty-in-Residence program.
The program, which will house faculty members on campus, looks to enhance faculty presence in residential communities and to assist students in their intellectual, social and cultural development, Hyde said.
“We are hoping the faculty members in these positions will dine with residents in dining halls … and have programs and events that instill traditions of involvement,” he said.
Hyde said relationships between faculty and students outside the classroom benefit students by boosting retention and GPA averages.
Kevin Cope, president of the Faculty Senate, said the University needs faculty on campus “24/7.”
There will be an open house from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 5 at the Residential College One Complex to discuss the program.
“Volunteering gets us engaged with the issues that face our community, as well as getting to know people in the community.”
