Garland’s open door policy
By Brian Dickens, Contributing Writer
Monday, October 17, 2005
I’ve always believed that if you have a question or a problem, you should go straight to the top. So that’s what I did Sept. 14, 2005. I had questions about the direction of the university, so I went to the top — the office of Central State University President John W.Garland, Esq.
I had a number of questions for the president: How can we establish a relationship with the community of Xenia? Can we better market the water resources management program now that the state has cut funding for the program? Do we have professors on campus who are willing to conduct research in areas that affect the black community? How can we receive pizza delivery on campus?
President Garland first thanked me for supporting Central State University. He said the university has good relationships with the cities of Xenia, Dayton, Springfield, and Yellow Springs. He agreed that the university needs to better promote the water resources program given that Central is the only historically black university to have an undergraduate program. Garland said a number of professors do, in fact, conduct research that affects the black community, as well as the broader community. The university has a full time grant writer who seeks money to fund research.
As for pizza delivery, Garland said the university has repeatedly asked for such service. Local restaurant managers say their employees have been robbed on campus, though Garland said they can only point to one incident that occurred more than eight years ago. “We both know what the real issue is,” Garland said. In the future, the university hopes to develop land off route 42 to include a pizza parlor for students.
“As we move into another school year,” Garland said, “we continue to work on our core values: honesty, hard work, caring and excellence. By keeping these core values in your life, it will prepare you to meet the challenges that life brings, and help you succeed at whatever you set to do.”
Garland has open forums every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. Every student can speak their mind to the president.
I did.
.:. Top of Page