Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Nichole Gonzalez is holding “Spill the Tea” sessions in the Blue Bean this semester to give students the opportunity to bring questions and concerns directly to a member of Elizabethtown College’s Senior Leadership Team.
The first “Spill the Tea with a VP!” session was held on Sept. 28 with several students dropping by to talk with Gonzalez and indulge in the table of brownies, cookies, coffee and, of course, tea.
In her position, Gonzalez oversees the campus operations that most directly impact students, such as Residence Life and Campus Safety. Making herself available at these sessions gives students the opportunity to talk with someone who knows how to best address their questions or concerns.
“The intention is to be more visible and have some open hours,” Gonzalez said. “I know a lot of students, unless they know me, are probably going to be a little uncomfortable just going up and knocking on my office door.If students have feedback or want to share what they’re happy with, unhappy with, how things are going, I’m happy to talk to students one-on-one, but [I wanted] to do something that’s open and visible so people don’t feel like they have to stop by my office.”
This semester, there will be a total of five “Spill the Tea” sessions every other week to give students the most opportunities to chat with Gonzalez.
“I’m trying to vary the schedule just a little bit, but also keep it consistent enough where people know when they can stop,” Gonzalez said. “Sometimes when you’re doing something once a month, it kind of gets lost. At least if I’m doing this every other week, I’m a little bit more visible”
“Spill the Tea” is the resurrection of a previous event Gonzalez did a few years ago called “Dessert before Dinner with a Dean” that followed the same format. After not being able to hold sessions last year, Gonzalez wanted to make sure it happened this year.
“It’s something that we have been talking about doing for a while,” Gonzalez said.
As with “Dessert before Dinner,” Gonzalez does not expect a rush of students coming to her with questions but for those who do, the option remains.
“This isn’t like so many people will show up or anything like that,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t anticipate that honestly. I had a core group that kept coming and I was happy with that.”
Questions and feedback brought to Gonzalez don’t necessarily have to be within the realm of student life. As one of five of Etown’s vice presidents, she is well acquainted with what departments can best handle concerns and can pass on feedback to other members of the Senior Leadership Team.
“Students can talk to me about literally anything, and if I don’t have an answer for them, I can at least point them in the right direction,” Gonzalez said. “I take all of the things that I hear and I do bring them up at the Senior Leadership level.”
Gonzalez’s other “Spill the Tea” sessions will be held at 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, Oct. 26, Nov. 10 and Nov. 23 in the Blue Bean. She intends to continue hosting “Spill the Tea” into next semester.
“Being able to meet with Etown professional staff and having students’ voices be heard is very important in order to make a community on campus more involved and engaging,” Erick Sandoval-Martinez, a sophomore who attended “Spill the Tea,” said. “If you want engaging events or suggestions to run things more smoothly, talk to the students.”
If students are unable to attend “Spill the Tea,” but still want to relay questions, concerns or feedback to Gonzalez can reach her at gonzaleznichole@etown.edu or her office in BSC 257. As Student Assembly advisor, she is also in attendance at assembly meetings.
