Spring Break
Second annual Gripe Fest aims to hear student complaints
Gripes from last year's Gripe Fest are being worked on by the Office of the Provost and the Office of Financial Aid
Shanna Woodruff
Issue date: 3/10/09 Section: News
ASOSU is hosting its second annual Gripe Fest forum tomorrow at the MU Lounge from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Gripe Fest is an opportunity for students to give their feedback about OSU.
It was originally started years ago as a gripe forum, but was very small and mainly done within each college. Not many know much about these previous gripe forums because it was not well advertised and was done long before many students on campus were attending OSU.
Last year, Ryan Mann and Justin Dorsey, who were both ASOSU Task Force members, decided that one of the best ways to focus on how to help students would be to find out what they want through a gripe forum.
"It didn't make a whole lot of sense for the two of us to sit there and decide what was important for the student body," said Ryan Mann, senior in political science and current president of ASOSU.
Last March was the first Gripe Fest, where students were able to give their input about OSU by an open mic session or written comments.
"Almost anyone has an idea, and a lot of times there isn't a venue to express that," Mann said. "[The Gripe Fest] was surprisingly successful."
This year ASOSU hopes to have improved the process even more to assure that everyone's input will be heard.
An open mic in the MU Lounge will be provided, and any gripe can also be written on ASOSU fliers, the gripe fest website at http://asosu.oregonstate.edu/gripefest09/ or by e-mail at asosu.campaigns@oregonstate.edu.
The MU learning lounge has also been reserved as a meet and greet place where ASOSU staff and other representatives will be able to address some concerns and answer questions.
"Some students want to complain and some want an answer," said Shayna Rogers, the executive director of campus resources. "We want to provide both."
Whether positive or negative comments, frustrations or suggestions, all will be recorded and compiled into a formal report. This report gives examples of the main complaints and a list of concerns and suggestions for improvement for the various topics addressed.
The Gripe Fest is an opportunity for students to give their feedback about OSU.
It was originally started years ago as a gripe forum, but was very small and mainly done within each college. Not many know much about these previous gripe forums because it was not well advertised and was done long before many students on campus were attending OSU.
Last year, Ryan Mann and Justin Dorsey, who were both ASOSU Task Force members, decided that one of the best ways to focus on how to help students would be to find out what they want through a gripe forum.
"It didn't make a whole lot of sense for the two of us to sit there and decide what was important for the student body," said Ryan Mann, senior in political science and current president of ASOSU.
Last March was the first Gripe Fest, where students were able to give their input about OSU by an open mic session or written comments.
"Almost anyone has an idea, and a lot of times there isn't a venue to express that," Mann said. "[The Gripe Fest] was surprisingly successful."
This year ASOSU hopes to have improved the process even more to assure that everyone's input will be heard.
An open mic in the MU Lounge will be provided, and any gripe can also be written on ASOSU fliers, the gripe fest website at http://asosu.oregonstate.edu/gripefest09/ or by e-mail at asosu.campaigns@oregonstate.edu.
The MU learning lounge has also been reserved as a meet and greet place where ASOSU staff and other representatives will be able to address some concerns and answer questions.
"Some students want to complain and some want an answer," said Shayna Rogers, the executive director of campus resources. "We want to provide both."
Whether positive or negative comments, frustrations or suggestions, all will be recorded and compiled into a formal report. This report gives examples of the main complaints and a list of concerns and suggestions for improvement for the various topics addressed.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Be the first to comment on this story
Comments by registered users are approved by default.