How to improve the status of community on campus was the topic of the college's first "Convocation for Community," an open discussion among students, faculty, and staff on a matter central to Tusculum's educational mission.
The topic of conversation was in part a response to that arising from the Circle of Universal Colors meeting held earlier this year. At that meeting, problems of the college community were addressed. The stated aim of the first "Convocation for Community" was instead to focus on solutions, according to Dr. Jennifer Brooks, assistant professor in the Commons area.
The idea for the convocation grew out of Dr. Brooks' class on theory and practice. The only rules for the discussion were civility, relevance, and a required raising of the hand before speaking.
Dr. Jim Reid, vice-president of the residential college, moderated the event, which covered the topics of school spirit, "cliques and tribes," and how the college can support more activities for students.
Comments receiving the most applause from students and faculty were those following the emerging theme of the day--that it is only the effort of individuals that will help the community thrive. This begins, most agreed, by reaching out to others. "Get to know someone you never even bothered to look at before," advised student Mike Butts.
Echoing the theme was Buck Starnes, who demonstrated his point by pulling a a student he'd "never met before" out of the audience and clapping his arm around the newly found friend.
When we take the opportunity to reach out to others, said still another student, "we expose that we're all connected...regardless of color, creed or race."
If conditions around the campus at times become clique-ish, it's mainly through a natural human tendency, others seemed to agree. "It's because you're nervous and you want to feel accepted," said student Kelly Gipson.
But cliques ultimately diminish the whole experience of college, according to many, especially at a school where a primary focus is being part of a broader community. "You come here because you want to be different and to have a different education" than students at schools where anonymity is preferred, one student said.
The question of how to have more activities was in part quickly solved by Carmen Brown, who invited everyone present to a party later in the week. Other suggestions included the possibility of keeping students more informed of activities via e-mail, as well as carefully planning events so they won't conflict with one another.
Events scheduled for immediately after the convocation included a basketball shoot, hula-hoop competition, three-legged relays and a contest for food coupons.
Dr. Robert Knott, College President, said he could see "no better evidence of community," than the students' participation in the convocation and the sharing of ideas. He sought to reemphasize, he said, "that community is founded on a belief in ourselves" and "that we can give to benefit other people."
Similar meetings to address the topic of community will be upcoming in the future, Dr. Brooks said.