Why is there not a tracking system for the shuttle that runs from campus to Memorial Plaza? Why are there so many permanent triple dorm rooms on campus, especially in Alumni Hall? Why do so many student employees frequently not get paid on time? On Wednesday, November 13, Pace students and faculty voiced these concerns and many more at the Fall 2019 Pace Pleasantville town hall, in Gottesman during common hour.

Representatives from Pace’s Housing Office, the center for Student Development and Campus Activities (SDCA), Safety and Security, and many other university departments and organizations including the Provost Vanya Quinones, PhD., were present to listen to and address these concerns.

A lot of the concerns from students were academic-related, with many concerned about the way that certain classes and schools are run, and some asking that commuter students be given more time and scheduling options for their classes. Smaller issues, such as trying to end some of the disconnect between the university’s three campuses, were also addressed.  According to SGA President Madia Bestman, the topics discussed differed a lot from what was usually discussed at previous town halls.

“The people that usually get a lot of the same questions and concerns from students [at the town halls], did not get asked,” she said. “It was more different questions that we have not heard before, which was pretty great.”

Due to the kind of questions that were being asked, Provost Quinones provided most of the answers to students. According to her, some of the things that the university is working on to address students’ concerns include the implementation of additional learning centers and the investment in both a new scheduling program and a more centralized advising system, to name a couple.

Despite SGA sending out a mass email to students the day before, even though the event was about 80 percent full, there were still more faculty and staff at the event than students. According to Bestman, however, attendance at this town hall was better than the spring’s.

“I think that we had a great turnout with students, but it wasn’t the best,” she said. “ I saw that a lot of students came just to listen, and some came ready with concerns.”

Bestman felt that most of the questions that were asked at the event were answered and addressed, while others might require a follow-up from SGA to the applicable school or office.

“The next step for [SGA] is to follow-up [with certain departments and people] see if they are actually going to do what they said they are.”

Students who wanted to voice their concerns but could not attend should not worry. The next town hall on the Pleasantville campus is scheduled for some time in the spring. The official date is unclear at this point.