Auxiliary Services aims to help students
Many students at GC&SU do not know what the term Auxiliary Services means. Auxiliary Services is simply a business within the college that exists for the sake of the students.
Director of Auxiliary Services Kyle Cullars and Marketing Director of Auxiliary Services Mike Haun describe their department as “all the fun stuff.” Auxiliary Services exists to serve the students.
The department offers the bookstores, dining services, university housing, the Bobcat Card office, student health services, parking and shuttle services, vending machines and money refund, laundry and the governor’s mansion gift shop and museum store.
Currently, Auxiliary Services is working on several projects. They are about to expand and renovate the serving area inside the dining hall. They are also considering putting a type of food service at Bobcat Village.
Haun said he likes to think that his job is to make GC&SU a better, more enjoyable place.
“It’s got a great educational philosophy, it’s got a great student to teacher ratio, but would it be as good if we didn’t have Chick-fil-A here, if we didn’t have some of the nicer amenities, if we didn’t serve Starbucks Coffee at Books & Brew, if we didn’t try to make sand volleyball courts a reality at Bobcat Village?” Haun said.
Cullars said that Auxiliary Services is all the fun support services that help students to better enjoy the academic experience that they come here for.
“Students are definitely the driving force behind everything we do because first and foremost, they’re the ones paying for what we do,” Cullars said. “It’s the students money that we’re spending, and they need to be the ones that are having a huge voice in what’s being done.”
Although Auxiliary Services is a business, they do not exist for profit. The money that is made is invested back into the students. Cullars and Haun honestly care about students and want to do all that is within their power to improve the college experience. Cullars said that Auxiliary Services is not only here to address problems or complaints, but it is also a place to come with ideas and suggestions. He said if students or their groups want something done, they need to share their ideas, and Auxiliary Services will respond.
Student Services Chair Janessa Hartmann also encourages students need to get their voices heard. She works with Auxiliary Services and knows how essential students’ opinions are. A recent survey was conducted and the results showed that many students want longer dining hours. Hartmann is working with the board of directors of Sodexho, looking into different options to see if the hours could possibly be extended. Hartmann also said that once a month there is a table set up outside A&S at the fountain where students are encouraged to give their suggestions and comments.
“We really, really, really encourage students to get their voices out: their complaints, their kudos, anything, if you have anything. And we take it seriously,” Hartmann said. “We’re not going to listen to you complain and just throw it out the window. We work on every issue.”
SGA Senator Daniel Troutman, a freshman, works with Auxiliary Services and said it is important for students to know about Auxiliary Services because they do so many things for the students.
“Students should let their voices be heard because it is the only way that organizations like Auxiliary Services can work to correct the problems students may have,” Troutman said. “And contrary to students’ belief, their opinion does matter. They are the customers in the bookstore and in the dining hall, and Auxiliary Services cares about them.”
The main Auxiliary Services office is located in Suite 114 of MSU, behind the post office. Cullars and Haun encourage students to come with suggestions and comments or email them at kyle.cullars@gcsu.edu or michael.haun@gcsu.edu.
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Nov 18 2005. 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
