Ball State University junior Jenny Rice wants to help build relationships between the Department of Public Safety and the university community.
Three forums for faculty and staff this week were key steps in achieving this goal.
"Overall, they went very, very well," Rice, public relations clerk for the University Police Department and Parking Services, said. "They echoed what I kind of anticipated. They brought light on situations I had never thought of before."
Altogether, eight faculty and staff participated in the forums, which took place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, Rice said.
She said this week's attendance was less than what she hoped for.
"I think it should have been a little higher, but we worked with what we had," Rice said.
The forums allowed faculty and staff to discuss their experiences with personnel and services in the Department of Public Safety and provide suggestions for the department. They were also able to discuss how information they received from the media, co-workers and students have affected their perspectives of the department.
In the past, students who were putting together a strategic communication plan for a public relations campaign class conducted a number of focus groups with other students, Rice said.
But faculty and staff opinions are just as valuable, she said.
"I want to make sure their voice was heard," Rice said. "I think sometimes faculty is overlooked, and I wanted to make sure they weren't in this situation."
Diana Godish, professor of physiology and health science, said she wanted to participate in Thursday's forum to provide her input.
"It's just the faculty and staff perspective on parking and police services, because we're a part of the university, too," Godish said. "If you want complete representation, you ask all of the different constituencies of the university."
Overall, Godish said the forum was productive and allowed faculty and staff to openly voice their opinions.
Rice said she will discuss the information she gathered with the Department of Public Safety. This week's forums will play an important role in implementing changes and figuring out priorities for the department, Rice said.
"You always have to do research with everything," she said. "It plays a role, but it doesn't end here."
More forums will be held in the future to see whether relations, feedback and attitudes have changed in the university community, Rice said.
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