Jordan Cuddemi
News Editor
The Tuesday, Oct. 4 Student Assembly meeting warranted vast discussion ranging from projects within the Information Technology (IT) department to reviewing the Integrative Studies Program (ISP).
KSC’s Chief Information Officer for IT, Laura Seraichick said there are a few new ideas under the overarching proposal of the “One Card Project.”
The college is looking to have a one-card system to control laundry facilities, vending machines, gym equipment checkout and library checkout. This card would have an online money management sector, where students could add money to their card online.
“The possibilities are sort of endless. There are a lot of things you can add onto your card,” Seraichick said.
The card would also hold “access control” which is how students enter and exit buildings on campus. However Seraichick said these ideas are currently just “study projects,” as these ideas are not yet being implemented.
“This year the college invested $200,000 to do the additional services on the one card,” Seraichick said.
In addition to the card controlling basic on-campus amenities, the card would eventually supplement online room selection during the on-campus housing lottery.
In other technology updates, IT is looking to deliver wireless to the whole campus. Seraichick said IT is seeing a positive response to the recent decision to add wireless internet to the Owl’s Nests, Randall Hall and Carle Hall. “There are over 7,000 devises on the wireless in just the Owl’s Nests, Randall and Carle,” Seraichick said. “That’s pretty incredible.”
In other council news, ISP Task Force Rep. Bethany Morin sought feedback on the current ISP.
According to the KSC website, the ISP courses are designed to provide students with a broad spectrum of classes outside their specialized major. “Students in the ISP will be encouraged to draw connections across disciplinary divisions.”
Senior Rep. Brooke Wheeler said, “I think for some students it is a great program.” Wheeler explained that students who come to KSC with an undecided major have the opportunity to take a wide range of classes.
On the contrary, Wheeler feels the program can be grueling to others. “Being a senior and taking a 100 level course just to fill a requirement is a waste of my time and money,” said Wheeler. Another council member agreed.
Student Trustee, Jordan Posner said ISP courses are a “burden on those who know what they are going to do when they come to Keene State.”
Student Body President Colin Daly said the ISP should be more geared toward the freshman and sophomore year of a student’s academic career. Daly recommended having a requirement to take all ISP courses in the first two years while at Keene State, much like students do with the IQL and ITW requirements.
Morin said the Integrative Task Force Review Committee is reviewing the current ISP policy and one change the committee is looking to change is dropping the minimum ISP course requirement to 40 credits or 10 classes instead of 44 credits.
The Oct. 4 meeting also entailed electing a non-traditional representative to the student body.
Current Student Assembly board members elected Senior Jake Piecuch to hold one of five nontraditional rep. positions on assembly.
Piecuch said what makes him a nontraditional student is that “[he] took 7-years off between high school and college. I am currently 28 years old.”
“There are a lot more nontradtional students coming to college these days and I feel people should embrace it,” Piecuch said.
Jordan Cuddemi can be contacted at jcuddemi@keene-equinox.com.