It may be the end of the semester, but we have a jam-packed issue for you this month. From the Great American Eclipse viewing event on campus to building renovations to the tenth anniversary of the What Were You Wearing exhibit, and a short readership survey, there is a lot of worthwhile information to take in.
April 8 marked a special day on campus and in Arkansas when the Great American Eclipse passed through the state. Hundreds of students, staff and faculty gathered at the Chi Omega Greek Theater for a viewing event organized by University Housing in collaboration with University Relations. Housing handed out nearly 8,000 pairs of eclipse viewing glasses and then took some back up after the event to send to South America when the next eclipse passes there in August 2024.
Ten years ago, Mary Wyandt-Hiebert, director of the campus Sexual & Relationship Violence Center (SRVC), created the What Were You Wearing exhibit, which has become a worldwide phenomenon. This exhibit, which helps dispel myths about sexual assault has spread wide and far to 38 countries and all 50 states. During the third week of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, SRVC displayed the exhibit during its tenth anniversary in the Arkansas Union International Connections Lounge.
Our staff and student Q&As this issue are from the SRVC. Mary Wyandt-Hiebert, who is the center director, has been advocating for and supporting survivors of sexual assault on this campus for 2 decades. Carly Gierke is a graduate assistant for SRVC and is working on her Master of Social Work degree. As part of her work, she facilitates a weekly support group for survivors of sexual assault, providing a safe space for students in need.
The HPER facility on Stadium Drive opened in the mid 1980’s and after students helped lead a discussion about needing an updated campus recreation hub to accommodate the increasing student population, the HPER building will receive some major upgrades. The HPER Building will start a 15-month renovation this summer that will add modern infrastructure and architectural updates to the building, as well as other features that will enhance students’ and members’ overall recreation experience, including adding an additional 13,000 sq. ft. of fitness center space to the HPER Building.
We recently named two assistant vice chancellors as part of the division strategic plan and organizational structure. These positions oversee specific programs and departments under the area of Student Success within Student Affairs. Laura James will serve as assistant vice chancellor for Student Support, and Quincy Spencer will serve as assistant vice chancellor for Student Engagement. We are excited about what these two student affairs professionals bring to help support the needs of a variety of student populations.
And last, but certainly not least, we really want to know what you think about the Student Affairs Bulletin blog. We’ve created a short survey that will help us better understand you, our readers, and what you want to see in future issues. Please take a couple of minutes to answer the questions so we can improve your experience.
Thanks for reading the May 2024 issue of the Student Affairs Bulletin. We will take our usual break from publishing the blog for the summer and will be back in your in-box this fall. If you have ideas for stories or would like more information on anything you read here, please email Scott Flanagin, executive director of communications at sflanagi@uark.edu.