A group of business and engineering students gathered in the lobby of Patrick F. Taylor Hall on Wednesday to share their concerns and chat with Chancellor Sean O’Keefe. This is the semester’s first chat hosted by Student Government to take place on the east side of campus, with the intention to target a different group of students. The event typically takes place in front of the Student Union in Free Speech Alley. About 10 students spoke with O’Keefe. The topics discussed included the University’s stance on green issues and sustainable energy, the W grade policy and the amount of evening classes available to nontraditional students, who are typically older students who maintain outside responsibilities. Megan Sharkey, biochemistry senior, presented O’Keefe with a copy of the President’s Climate Commitment, an initiative that is circulating among the upper administration of universities around the country. The initiative encourages university presidents and chancellors to sign the document to indicate their commitment to reducing their campus’ impact on the environment. Vice Provost Chuck Wilson is in charge of the University’s involvement with the pact. “I think that it is an excellent idea for LSU to get involved in this, and we have already been environmentally conscious for many years now,” Wilson said. “I know that the chancellor is interested in this as well.” O’Keefe indicated his interest to the students during the chat. “We are very interested in maintaining sustainability and improving in that area,” O’Keefe said. “One of the reasons we became a center for medical activity following Hurricane Katrina was because our campus was able to maintain energy following the storm.” O’Keefe discussed evening classes with Angela Trahan, a nontraditional student who takes business management classes in addition to working part-time at the Louisiana Business and Technology Center. “There aren’t enough classes offered at night for students who work during the day,” Trahan said. “There are also not enough professors willing to teach at night.” O’Keefe said he would look into the inventory of evening classes and see how they could diversify and improve those offerings. He said the new W grade policy was enacted in part to improve availability of classes. “We wanted to stop the ‘blue plate special’ shopping of classes,” O’Keefe said. “If students know they won’t be able to drop as easily once they register, then that leaves more classes open for students who really need to take them.”
—-Contact Joanna Brown at [email protected]