Administration’s Openness Provides Accountability

President Carol Taylor was not required to host an Open Door Day as a way to hear people’s thoughts and concerns on whatever subject they fancied. But she did.

On Monday, March 1, the president’s office saw representation from undergraduates, faculty, staff, administration and SPS students, who were able to spend 15 minutes with coffee, cookies and the president of their university.

Her willingness to meet with any member of Vanguard shows an incredible openness and transparency not evident in most universities.

This simple act, of eliminating all distractions and cutting out any middle men or e-mail systems, showed the school’s community how much the administration cares.

And the fact that President Taylor did this the middle of March, shows her courage. Opening your door is easy on sunny days, but when people are dealing with busy schedules and stressing over controversial changes, the president was ready for a stormy forecast.

By listening, she is keeping her promise to regain students’ trust in this institution.

Since the WASC scare has faded only murmurs among students, rarely do they appreciate the seemingly innocuous steps announced on our news pages.

Hiring a new Vice President for University Advancement and completely restructuring the Board of Trustees illustrate great strides, especially considering the administration’s energy in finding just the right man for the job.

And the Open Door Day illustrates the administration’s readiness to do more.

It shows a certain humanity of “The White House,” as second floor Smith is sometimes called. And it shows just how little bureaucracy we have at this school.