FGCU Student Government rules and procedures require the university relations chair to hold annual meetings with the dean of each college on campus. These meetings are held as a way for students to express their opinions on their college to the dean, while also giving Student Government an opportunity to display their outreach attempts within each college. 

Current University Relations Chair Shawn Brunelle created a survey for students to share comments, opinions or complaints with attendees if unable to join the annual dean meetings. 

Chair Brunelle is hoping the survey will boost attendance at the meetings and help make students aware of this opportunity, while also giving them a platform to share their grievances anonymously if they have anything they wish to bring to the dean of their college. 

“A big role of student government is to try to be the voice for students in these professional settings, and this is a great way for us to be a voice for our constituents,” Brunelle said. 

In the past weeks, deans from the College of Business, College of Health and Human Services and College of Education met with Chair Brunelle and his colleagues. The other meetings will be held in the coming weeks.

Dr. Christopher Westley, dean of the College of Business, said in the meeting with Chair Brunelle last week, “It’s good to have this conversation because now I know I can reach out to [Student Government] when things come up. I would like to continue that relationship.”

Chair Brunelle often starts the meetings by showing the dean, and any other staff that may attend, some facts and analytics about student involvement from their college in Student Government. After this, he opens the floor for student remarks and pursues healthy conversation between students in each college and their dean. 

“The survey will help tell students that they can come to the meetings. Not only can they, but students are encouraged to come. I would love for more students to come and voice their opinions on their college,” Chair Brunelle said. 

Student Government has seen a shortage of student involvement in recent years, and Brunelle sees the meetings as an opportunity to meet with upper-level faculty and address the problem face on. He uses this time to chat about different groups or RSOs within the school that may be interested in getting involved, as well as ways he can utilize each specific college as a way to boost involvement. 

Even after this year’s dean meetings, Brunelle hopes the survey will be a tool for future University Relations Chairs to use when going into these sessions. The survey will continue to be live after this year, so students will still be able to voice their opinions for next year.

Below are the upcoming dean’s meetings: 

• College of Arts and Sciences: March 28, 11 a.m.-12p.m in Seidler 402
• College of Engineering: March 29, 1:30-2:30 p.m in Holmes 306