Students have the rare opportunity to weigh in on one of the highest-ranking officials on campus.

This year marks the first time Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina is up for his five-year review. Students have until Friday to fill out a survey sent through SUmail. As of Wednesday’s University Senate meeting, about 1,500 students, or 12.7 percent of the undergraduate body, filled out the survey.

Even if students do not know who Spina is and may want to opt out of the survey, it is designed so students can skip questions they are not comfortable answering. The survey also has general questions about the administration. Students should be able to accurately express their opinions for these questions.

Students should take the opportunity to express concerns or compliments toward the administration as a whole. It is important to maintain a system of checks and balances between the student body and the administration.

The vice chancellor’s responsibilities, and even his name, seem unfamiliar to most students.

There is a statement in the survey explaining the vice chancellor’s duties, but Spina is not necessarily a notable name to students on campus. Students know Chancellor Nancy Cantor, but Spina is much less well known.

Although students bear some responsibility to know who high-ranking campus officials are, the administration is also responsible with making Spina and his work more visible to students. Students can emphasize the need for this through their survey responses.

Even if students do not know who Spina is, now is the time for them to make their thoughts and opinions on the administration clear. Whether the thoughts are good or bad, students must use this opportunity to be heard. 

Published on April 18, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact: opinion@dailyorange.com