School, Students Exchange Ideas in ‘Lunch Gathering with President’

On November 24^th, 2020, SU President Wei-Ta Pan, Vice Presidents Wei-Liang Chao and Bau-Tscheng Dung, and other executive officers joined together to have a sit-down conversation with students on school affairs during the “Lunch Gathering with President,” a long-time tradition since the foundation of the University.

“Interdisciplinary learning is crucial to students today.” President Pan first encouraged students to develop more than one expertise to stay competitive in the workplace in an era marked by the rise of technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and bio-tech. Dean of Academic Affairs Office Chan-Long Jan also suggested students to enroll in double majors, minors, credit programs, or second expertise courses in order to become T-shaped persons.

In response to the recent controversy over a hike in dorm fees, Dean of Office of Student Affairs Kuen-Chang Lee reiterated that the University hasn't raised dorm fees since 2006; however, as inflation keeps growing, Soochow couldn’t but increase the charges in student housing. At the same time, Soochow will protect students’ rights in accommodations and continue to take good care of students in need.

Vice President Dung reminded students to follow the new Fall-Winter COVID-19 Prevention Program announced by Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC), and advised students to wear masks in public venues, especially in basement areas like student club offices at Downtown Campus.

Director of Library Tsung-Ho Lee also explained that the time and number of seats in the study rooms are limited due to COVID-19 prevention policies, but the Library decided to extend the opening hours of the 2^nd study room at Downtown Campus to 10 p.m. during weekends and holidays before normal schedule resumes when the pandemic is settled.

Students also shared thoughts on planning the school's anniversary celebration, cancelling the security deposits of exchange programs and retaining the quota of exchange students for next semester. Issues like constant breakdowns of the elevators in the First Building at Downtown Campus and the seating system in the study room were also brought up in the lunch meeting as well.

Students’ questions and opinions were answered or responded respectively by school executives or staff, who also promised to take students’ suggestions and thoughts into consideration so as to create a better campus environment.