Penley Meets With Parents
CSU President Larry Penley met with parents who took part in
Family Weekend at CSU, Friday, giving them a chance to ask
questions and voice concerns.
“Parents want to support us, encourage us and see what their
kids are up to,” Penley said.
This is the first year an informal event has been scheduled to
allow parents and students to meet and speak with the
president.
Amy Sell, the Family Weekend chair for the Association for
Student Activity Programming, wanted to emphasize informality when
organizing the event.
“It’s always nice (for the parents) to be meeting someone up in
the administration,” Sell said.
Jody Donovan, assistant to the vice president of Student
Affairs, also thought the event added to family weekend.
“I’m very thankful for Penley to harvest time out of his busy
schedule (for this event),” Donovan said. “It’s important (for
parents) to trust the leader of the institution (their child is
attending).”
Meeting with parents was also beneficial to Penley.
“The suggestions have not been negative but constructive,”
Penley said. “They are right with their ideas but it will cost more
money.”
Some ideas included the need for more communication between
administration and parents and better-situated welcome signs and
centers.
Some parents appreciated the chance to meet with Penley.
“I think it’s a great idea to get a sense of where the school is
heading,” said Frank Strenk, a parent from St. Charles, Ill.
“(Meeting with the president) is a big help.”
Strenk’s son, freshman Andrew Strenk, chose CSU because of its
location.
“He loves the outdoors,” Strenk said. “(CSU) is a fantastic fit
for him.”
Dick Yale, a parent from Houston, thought the community of Fort
Collins seemed more tightly knit than other college campuses.
“It’s great because the parents like to meet the people who are
working with their kids,” Yale said.
While some parents greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet
with Penley, others only attended because it was on the
itinerary.
“In past visits I think I’ve seen everything,” said Gladys
Joyet, a parent from Littleton. “(Some of the events) put a
different spin on things.”
Some of the students who attended the reception with their
parents did not see the point of the added event.
“(Meeting with the president) makes no difference to me,” said
Andrea Joyet, sophomore zoology major.
Brain Kennedy, the assistant director of Student Activities,
said the reception added a personal touch.
“The whole idea was to create a new opportunity to learn another
side,” Kennedy said. “We didn’t want any of that formal
stuffiness.”
Penley would like to see Family Weekend scheduled a bit earlier
in the semester.
“It should be much earlier,” Penley said. “Mid-October is when
some students feel like they’ve been at this awhile. (Family
Weekend) would be more beneficial (at that time).”
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