Niemi to hold office hours during spring semester

By Bella Grimaldi Asst. News Editor President Nancy Niemi will hold in-person office hours during the spring semester, according to an email from her office. Niemi said these office hours are open to faculty, staff, students, and anybody part of the University community. The office hours do not require an appointment, but the conversations are limited to ten minutes to accommodate more participants. The time can be used to discuss University-related matters, according to the email. There are three official office hours scheduled for this semester, according to the email. Niemi said these scheduled hours are held in her office in Dwight Hall. The first office hour was held on Friday, March 7 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The last office hour is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., according to the email. “It was wonderful and any conversation I have as a result of these hours is good - is positive and worth the time it takes to do it,” said Niemi. There are two informal meeting times scheduled around campus to meet with Niemi, according to the email. The first informal meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 24 in the McCarthy Dining Commons from 12:00 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. The second meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. in the Red Barn Café, according to the email. Niemi said, “Certainly, I stop and talk to people when I'm out all the time, and at various events, I see people, but this is a nice way for people who want to come in and have a chat about something who don't normally get the opportunity. “The idea actually came up independently with me and with my assistant, Katie Hebert, so it was kind of cool,” she said. Niemi said she was reminded of the concept by a colleague from a different organization. “I wondered if it was overkill because I try to be out and about anyway, but I thought, ‘Now let's try this,’ and I brought it up to Katie, and Katie said, ‘You know, I was thinking about the same thing,’ so that's how we decided to do it,” said Niemi. According to Niemi, Hebert put together the times and locations Niemi would be available to meet. Niemi said she wanted to provide the University community another opportunity to talk with her. She added she hopes to get a broader scope of what people on campus are thinking. Niemi said students are welcome to make an appointment with her through Hebert if they want a longer time to meet. “When you've got 5,000 people on campus, you don't get to see everybody in equal numbers. So by having these, I hope that I will see people and talk to people and listen to people more who I would not normally see,” said Niemi. Niemi added she is pleased with the feedback she has received since announcing her office hours. She said, “I'm delighted people are excited they have another opportunity to let me know what's going on. I think it is really important for any community that they know that there are multiple ways to talk to people whose job it is to make sure that their needs are being heard … that they know that they can find me.” Sophomore Diego Abzun Urrutia said he did not know about the office hours Niemi is holding. He said, “I think it's a good opportunity for me or for other students to get close to her or ask for better help in case they have questions they need answers to.” Junior Josh Gillen said, “It's a good idea, because if people have concerns, they could go to her and she'll give it to you straight. She'll answer your questions. She's professional.” Junior Alicia Phillips said she would be interested in attending Niemi’s office hours. She said in the past, she wanted the opportunity to speak to Niemi about issues on campus. “She is a very welcoming person and I feel like being able to speak to her would be really good for people who don't necessarily feel comfortable reaching out to other sectors of the school,” said Phillips. Freshman David Forgione said he wouldn't attend unless he had a concern about campus. He said, “I think it's a smart idea to have the ability to talk to someone like her about what you think should go on around campus and different problems you may be having.” Freshman Savannah Goba said she would go to the office hours if she had any concerns about campus. Goba said, “It just makes me feel more comfortable and connected knowing I have the power to speak with that resource. “Also, just to know her one-on-one, I’d say it makes the community feel like a good place.”