On Tuesday Oct. 21, President and CEO Shantay Bolton had her first formal sit-down meeting with students since becoming president.
The Student Government Association’s “Hi-Tea” event allowed students to ask questions but it also gave Bolton an opportunity to explain why elevating Columbia’s brand and stabilizing enrollment is crucial to the college’s success.
As she addresses a $40 million deficit, Bolton has some tough financial decisions to make, and she told students that one of them may be raising tuition again, which will be highly unpopular given the concerns students have about how much they are already paying for fewer course offerings, larger class sizes and reduced resources.
Bolton acknowledged the concerns but explained that she must bring in revenue to keep the college operating.
Her goal is to find a careful balance that ensures the college remains affordable while covering necessary costs, which is one of the reasons she also is trying to expand scholarships, as the Chronicle reported this week.
That explanation may not be enough to dispel criticism if she announces a tuition increase in the coming weeks, but talking openly about it is better than surprising students with an increase after the Board of Trustees has already approved it, which has happened in the past.
Having an honest conversation with students about the college’s finances is essential if she wants to keep her promise of being a “student-first president.”
But she has to do more.
SGA has traditionally hosted two conversations a year with college leadership, including former President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim.
Two is not enough.
Bolton should pledge to hold quarterly student town halls and have office hours for students similar to what Kim did. These regular, smaller gatherings would foster more personal, authentic conversations that feel less scripted.
She has already done a good job of elevating SGA leadership, giving President Jenna Davis an opportunity to introduce her at New Student Convocation and at the State of the College address. Given Columbia’s status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and its diverse student body, it also would be good to see student leaders from the Latino Alliance, Black Student Union and Asian Alliance included.
More open conversations regarding the state of the college, with opportunities to ask questions, should be a priority for Bolton.
Frequent, meaningful communication won’t solve every problem the college faces, but it will help rebuild the trust needed to confront them together. She has pledged transparency in nearly every conversation with the campus community this fall, and we will hold her to it.
Copy edited by Matt Brady
