President hosts lunch discussions with faculty, staff
Thursday, July 7, 2016 2:00 AM
News
Pittsburg, KS
When Meagan Swafford sat down for lunch on Wednesday inside the Crossland Family University House at Pittsburg State, she felt more at home than at work.
Swafford, assistant director of the Pitt State Office of Alumni and Constituent Relations, was one of 12 unclassified staff members who were randomly selected to have lunch with President Steve Scott at his university residence.
“It was an honor to be able to have lunch with Dr. Scott and various staff members from across campus,” she said. “Sitting around a table all together, I really felt as though I was a part of the Pitt State Family.”
That’s exactly what President Scott had in mind when he launched the lunch discussion series in the fall of 2015. Once per semester, Scott meets with members of the faculty and staff over lunch for an informal conversation about their experiences on campus.
“My goal for these informal get-togethers is to give our faculty and staff the chance to sit down together with me and discuss whatever is on their minds,” Scott said. “Everyone here works very hard and has very busy schedules, so there sometimes isn’t a lot of time to just sit down and chat, particularly with the president.
Bob Kehle, University Professor of Music, said he enjoyed hearing from Scott and various other faculty members from across campus.
“It is a great opportunity to get up to date on a variety of items concerning the university on a more intimate level then a general meeting,” Kehle said. “It also provides a cross-campus look at topics that affect various areas that we in our disciplines may not be aware of.”
Kehle said the small, informal nature of the meetings makes them more comfortable and engaging.
“The lines of communication are important and this gives a forum to ask questions on a wide range of topics,” he said. “I believe most people are more likely to ask questions and get involved when the numbers are small. It makes everyone feel like their voice is important and heard.”
Donald Baack, university professor of management and marketing, said the discussions “keep the flow of information moving in both directions.”
“During the luncheon you once again notice President Scott’s strong devotion to making the Pittsburg State University institution stronger and more resilient to the challenges facing us,” Baack said. “But, more important, you witness the unwavering dedication to students and their well-being as his top priority.
“Communication is the glue that holds things together,” he said. “It is the fuel that moves an organization forward. It is the electricity that sparks motivation and change. In these luncheons, it is all three things.”
Jamie Compton, assistant controller for financial reporting, was at Wednesday’s lunch. He said he appreciated the president’s desire to hear from staff members.
“It's important to hear firsthand that the president recognizes the challenges we face daily and that he is working hard to help us be successful,” Compton said. “Opportunities like these make it evident that the president is actively seeking out the opinions of everyone on campus of what we think makes the university successful.”
Scott said he stresses the “informal” part of the meetings so that faculty and staff are comfortable to discuss various topics.
“I didn’t want these to feel like staff meetings,” he said. “I want to discuss important topics and have people speak their minds, but I also wanted them to feel relaxed and have some fun with it. Sometimes just taking the time to sit down and talk, either about work or about the weather, is the most important thing we can do in a day.
“Open communication is absolutely vital to our university’s success, and I hope these lunch conversations can help enhance that on campus,” Scott said.