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).”