State of the Hill: March 30

By Aurora Ferreira

Starting at 11:35 am, in Meehan room 103, Stonehill’s Student Government Association

publicly assembled and allowed invited speakers to discuss important changes on campus and

address student questions.

Invited speakers included Peter Ubertaccio, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean

O’Keefe, the Director of Athletics, Ali Hicks, the Community Standards Director, and Deputy

Title IX Coordinator, Arianna Gulbis, the Director of Residential Life, Christian Hughs, the

Assistant Director of Residential Life, Joe Fellone, the Director of Capital Projects and Trades,

and our College President, Father John Denning.

Peter Ubertaccio spoke about Stonehill’s 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (S.U.R.E.), noting changes from past years due to budget cuts.

With 39 total applications for this Summer, 22 students were accepted, 10 fewer students accepted than last year.

There is also a shift in S.U.R.E.’s format, with previous years offering 10- or 8-week research periods; now, only 8 weeks are offered. S.U.R.E.’s weekly schedule has been adjusted from Monday to Friday to Monday to Thursday, to better align with the College's Summer Calendar.

There is a new part-time mentor option for faculty, which was created for research projects that do not require constant mentor guidance or presence.

Ubertaccio noted that, based on enrollment statistics from the past few years, the College will no longer offer Chinese as a minor to incoming students. Ali Hicks spoke on the recent Campus Climate Survey. While results are still being analyzed, the information she did have revealed positive results.

“96% of students reported feeling that Stonehill was a safe campus, which was 95% in 24’,” said Hicks.

This year, Community Standards visited first-year experience classes and spent an entire class discussing healthy relationships, something that was not done in years prior.

Hicks said, “Most first-year students felt it was a really good use of class time.”

Hicks mentions the possibility of a new award in the future to celebrate students who do

good things in the community standard, being called “Stonehill Heroes.”

Other topics discussed include:

·      Student concerns about the snow and future plans to better prepare/ handle clearing snow across campus

·      The possibility of the Red Bridge receiving a new coat of paint

·      The repair/ rebuilding of the small bridge on the path between Shields Science Center and the Sports Complex

·      The RA selection process and responsibilities

·      The housing selection process

·      Concerns for parking availability

Once all invited speakers had finished addressing previously submitted concerns and changes on campus, students were free to ask any new or clarifying questions.