Table-Talk is quieted by changes

After seven years, the Table-Talk program was forced to make extensive modifications due to excessive costs.

Dr. Rosemary DePaolo, former GC&SU president, initially organized the program in order to provide communication between faculty and students.

“The program admirably facilitated interaction between faculty and students, a relationship which stands at the very core of our mission,” said Dr. Robert J. Wilson III, professor of history.

From the very beginning, auxiliary services funded the program. Surplus funds generated by auxiliary services such as PawPrints Bookstore, housing and the dinning hall funded this well received program.

“GC&SU is pleased to offer this valuable program that fosters stronger relationships between faculty and students,” said Director of Auxiliary Services Kyle Cullars.

“The program picks up the check when students and faculty invite one another to share a meal and conversation in MSU’s Campus Crossroads cafeteria,” Cullars stated in the original Table-Talk plan.

However, auxiliary services could no longer foot the bill for the program, which last year cost the organization approximately $10,000. The cost of the program does add up when teachers and their students come for lunch six days a week.

“The program was so popular, it led to its own demise,” said Cullars.

A number of people were also taking advantage of the program, which inevitably led to its downfall. People signed in under false names, came more than once a week, and faculty supposedly brought family members and their graduate assistants, instead of students.

The abuses of the program made it necessary to provide a consistent way of signing in. A more detailed sign-in sheet is provided and must be filled out before entering the cafeteria. Faculty are required to record their names, the names of the students accompanying them and phone numbers for themselves and their students.

Modifications had to be made this semester in order to cut back the cost of Table-Talk.

Please see TALK on page 3

Cullars is continuing to make adjustments and series of compromises to keep the program running.

“I’m open to any other suggestions… there are so many resolutions,” said Cullars.

Such suggestions include opening Table-Talk once a month for everyone or making the faculty pay for meals, since students already pay for the services through fees or through their meal plan. Table Talk will return to students and faculty, only a modified version. However, for many, these compromises dampen the incentive to go to SODEXO.

“Part of the incentive for going to Table-Talk was the free meal, now I talk to my professors in their offices,” said Wendy Bellows, senior psychology major.

This semester Table-Talk is only offered to “circle leaders.” According to Executive Assistant Gina Peavy, circle leaders are those who “facilitate” circle meetings during the Week of Welcome for the incoming freshmen. Freshmen seminar professors and their students are also invited to hold discussions.

The program could not be completely terminated because of freshman seminar requirements. Many seminar professors require their students to attend one Table-Talk session during the semester. As a result, table talk must be provided to those students and faculty. Circle Leaders are also allowed to host two students to a Table Talk discussion, but only once a week.

This outrages others who are not part of these elite groups. Teachers must be on the Table-Talk sign-in sheet. All the professors and students who participated the last seven years enjoyed the program, but can no longer partake in the activities. They liked being able to get to know each other out side of the class room.

“I used to go to table talk with my psychology professors. We’d go in a group, a few students and faculty. I learned so much just talking to them,” said Wendy Bellows.

Table-Talk was being reviewed in the University Senate and was declared a vulnerable program. It was then referred to the budget committee for consideration. According to Dr. Ken McGill, chair of the University Services Committee. Table-Talk is now being reviewed by the President’s Cabinet in hopes that the program will soon return to all students and faculty.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 1 2004. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry