A group involved with the student advisory board for St. Thomas’ 2020 strategic plan held an open forum Wednesday night at Scooter’s, allowing others to ask questions about the plan.

The forum was a way for students to learn more about the ongoing St. Thomas strategic plan, “St. Thomas 2020: Living Our Mission, Expanding Our Horizon.” Sophomores Ryan Foster and Amanda Post were two of the five panelists.

Foster believes the panel was a good way for students to raise questions and concerns about changes to the university.

“I think it’s important that we provide an opportunity for students to comfortably learn about the changes that the university is undergoing,” Foster said. “There has been a lot of questions and frustrations, which we will be talking about.”

In preparation for the forum, the student board held a tabling event asking students about their knowledge of the plan and found that many students only knew about the university’s re-branding that was launched in February.

“I think it’s going to be a really great experience because I think that there’s more to the strategic plan then is really visible right now,” Post said. “There is kind of a large perception that all we did was get a new logo, and it’s way more then that.”

Eight task forces or phases — including the re-branding — make up the 2020 plan. Others include: educating for the future, flexible pathways into St. Thomas and the job market, global connections, embracing differences as one human family, Catholic-inspired community engagement, integrated and expanded health and wellness programs and integrated planning.

“It’s not necessarily a well-known process that’s happening right now,” Post said. “If we can answer questions and share what we know, we can help out and just create a better understanding of what’s going on at St. Thomas.”

Five out of the 15 student advisers were featured on the panel and answered a range of questions including, “Why is being global important?” and “What exactly is the common good?”

“I feel like it’s my job, and it’s other students’ jobs who know about it to kind of refer instead of trying to force it on people,” Foster said. “It’s all about knowing what’s going on.”

Sophomore Michael Antolak attended the event and thought it was a positive opportunity to ask his question and understand more about the plan.

“It’s nice to see that the government is trying to connect with the students a little bit more and nice to see them out and talking to people,” Antolak said. “I think it would really be beneficial to do more personal content like that.”

Sophomore Luke Jaeger also thought it was a good idea, as students have a lot on their minds.

“Even though I did show up a little late, I still caught quite a few big questions,” Jaeger said. “We could get how the students are feeling, as well as give them some answers to what they’re feeling.”

The panel meets every other Monday with a different task force and has three more to meet with. The student advisers enjoyed answering students’ questions and sharing what they know so far.

“I’m very hopeful and very encouraged that St. Thomas is truly making decisions with the common good at heart, and with the students’ good at heart,” Post said. “We can combat a negative attitude toward the strategic plan and really embrace the spirit of the 2020 vision.”

Noura Elmanssy can be reached at elma7206@stthomas.edu.