One afternoon at the start of this term, Acting College President James Wright and Peter Gilbert, senior assistant to the president, decided to join a group of students sitting at a table in Food Court in Thayer Dining Hall.
After introductions were made, "we had a delightful chat with them," Wright said.
Wright decided that having lunch with students was a good way to stay in touch with the student body, so he decided to organize weekly lunches with students at either Home Plate or Food Court.
"When I [became acting president], I wanted to look for a variety of ways to find out what's on the minds of students and what their experiences have been," Wright said. "And this struck me as a pleasant way to accomplish some of that goal."
He has since met with about six to eight students almost every week this term.
Hosea Harvey '95, the intern in the president's office, selects the students who meet with Wright. Harvey said he is familiar with most of the students he selects.
"My goals as an intern are to allow the president to meet students that have different ideological and cultural positions and views," Harvey said.
The lunches are open conversations and the discussion topics range from academic advising and the Report on the First-Year Experience to Greek life and social options at the College.
"It is easy to become disconnected sitting in the office, and this is a good way to see what's going on -- to get some first-hand information on life here," he said.
Lou Spelios '95, who attended one of the lunches with Wright, said "I was impressed that he would take an hour out of his schedule and meet with us to see what is on our minds."
Other students who attended the lunches said they found it worthwhile to meet the president, but also thought it was interesting to hear other students' views on the College.
Lauren Lieberman '95 said she was impressed by Wright's interest in hearing students' opinions and experiences and also his commitment to and love of the College.
"He was able to learn from our idealism just as much as we were able to learn about the realities," Lieberman said.
But Wright emphasized the lunches are not used to gauge student opinion or make policy decisions.
"I think the lunches are too personal and the groups are too random for that. They talk about their own experiences. And I'm not prepared to make any sweeping generalizations from that," he said.
"I've enjoyed everyone of these occasions and each one has been different," Wright said. "It's been delightful. Everyone I have met has been pleasant and reinforced how delightful that students are here."
