In an attempt to interact more with students, President Joseph Aoun announced last week that he will hold regularly scheduled office hours during the academic year.

“President Aoun wanted other opportunities to meet one-on-one with students to talk about their experiences and substantive issues affecting student life,” said Ed Klotzbier, vice president for student affairs.

Aoun already meets with different student groups throughout the year, like the Student Government Association, but this program is for students who might not ordinarily get a chance to meet with him, Klotzbier said.

“Some students want to meet the president,” he said. “We don’t want anyone to think the president is not reachable.”

Klotzbier said he or Philomena Mantella, senior vice president of enrollment and student life, will most likely be present during the meetings as well.

“The president doesn’t know the details of every student policy, student group organization matters, individual student concerns,” he said. “Hopefully we can help work with the students to see what’s on their mind and how to better help them.”

Klotzbier said he recognizes a student is likely to first go to the head of his or her department about an issue, but said students could speak with Aoun as well. They should come prepared, Klotzbier said, but their topics do not have to be preapproved.

“Students should come well prepared to talk to the president,” Klotzbier said. “If you’re going to meet with the president, what issues do you want to bring to his attention? Students need to think about that.”

Mike Helly, a freshman graphic design major, said he probably would talk to someone in his department first before going to Aoun’s office at Columbus Place.

“[Aoun] probably doesn’t know much about my major,” Helly said. “Well maybe he might, but he probably has a general, overall knowledge. If I thought I had a good idea worth discussing, then I’d go to him.”

The purpose of these face-to-face meetings is to have productive conversation, Klotzbier said.

“We don’t want it to be a grousing, ‘I’m upset,’ ‘I want to come talk to you,’ storm-city-hall type thing,” Klotzbier said. “We want substantive conversation.”

Scheduling was the main issue in organizing Aoun’s office hours, Klotzbier said, and each appointment is limited to 15 minutes.

“We’re trying to keep it as organized possible and see how much time we need to dedicate to this,” said Emily Hardman, director for student programming and communication. “We don’t want it to be an open hour and have no one show up.”

Hardman also said that if demand is high, officials will look into expanding Aoun’s office hours.

In addition to his office hours, Aoun will also meet with students occasionally in group gatherings at his home for more informal, social conversations.

Sasha Gemis, a freshman undecided major, said she has already experienced Aoun’s casualness during orientation.

“He came by the barbeque the other day and he was being really friendly and cool,” she said. “He seems really cool to talk to.”

Last year Aoun brought some student leaders to his house for a celebratory get-together to toast the accomplishments of that year.

Aoun, Klotzbier said, is looking to expand those interactions, and invite various groups of students to meet with him and his wife to discuss what is happening at the university.

“He likes the informal talks with students to find out what’s going on,” Klotzbier said. “His schedule is tight, but this will let him meet with larger groups of students in a social setting.”

Mike Brady, a sophomore music industry major, said he was excited to hear that Aoun has opened his office to all students

“It would be really interesting to sit down and talk to him,” Brady said. “Though I don’t know if I’d want to use up his office hours to just talk to him about running a school.”

The meetings will take place monthly at Aoun’s office on the sixth floor of 716 Columbus Place. Aoun will hold his first office hours Wednesday, September 24 from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Students must reserve a time slot, and can do so by e-mailing Emily Hardman in the Office for Student Affairs at [email protected].