The second President’s Hour of the semester concluded with members of university administration sharing what they are excited about for the future of Shippensburg University. 

SU Police Department Chief Pat Taylor shared that complete implementation of body cameras was finished in October. Interim Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management Megan Luft revealed that plush dolls of Shippo the Hippo will be available in early 2024 and Interim Director of Facilities Matt Dominick said the university is in the final stages of bidding on renovations to Franklin Science Center.

Earlier in the forum, several questions were asked regarding infrastructure issues that campus has faced throughout the semester. The first President’s Hour happened just days before the water main break in Naugle Hall and evacuation of Dauphin Humanities Center due to a reported gas leak. 

SU President Charles Patterson echoed his belief that campus operates like a small city and said when it comes to the water main break, “there is a debate over whether that pipe was properly installed.”

Dominick also shared that the current electrical issues behind Naugle Hall are expected to be completed by the middle of December. Last month, a vehicle knocked down a lamppost which caused all lights in that parking lot to malfunction. Stadium lights were erected on either side of the lot. The lights are owned by Pennsylvania Electric, and the underground wiring needed to be replaced, according to Dominick.

In light of that and other comments on lighting on campus, SGA will be performing an after-dark safety walk across campus on Dec. 3, Dean of Students Lorie Davis said.

Attendees asked several questions regarding police presence on campus and in surrounding neighborhoods during Homecoming weekend.

“It felt like the army was out here,” one student said about exiting Memorial Auditorium after MSA’s Step Show on Nov. 4.

Taylor said the response was “all other entities.” SUPD met with MSA before Homecoming, and initial conversations between MSA and the Pennsylvania State Police have begun, Taylor said.

Taylor explained that as a whole, local and state law enforcement officers do not patrol campus and SUPD does not patrol Maverick or any other off-campus neighborhoods.

“I can’t speak to Maverick. I just can’t,” Patterson said.

Additionally, Aramark Resident District Managed Asha Early faced questions about the quality of food in Reisner Dining Hall and offerings to commuter students.

One student asked why the plethora of seasonings and hot sauces that are available for students to use are not incorporated more into the prepared items.

“We really gauge the offerings across the board,” Early said. “We’re serving over 2,000 students a day. Sometimes that gets lost.”

Early also shared that dining is looking into ways to bridge the gap with commuter students, including the possibility of offering meal deals to be purchased with flex dollars.

Stay tuned to @rha_raiders on Instagram for information about President’s Hour in the spring semester.

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