Ellen is the Associate Director of Facilities Management. I met with her today for an hour or so (K is still under the weather) and she exposed some new developments....
1. I knew before walking into this meeting that the current Tempe Campus garden was hidden behind a wall. Ellen explained to me that this was because the campus needs to have a certain marketable appearance and gardens don't fit into that image. Not only that, but the current club isn't helping its own cause - the current garden is looking a little disorganized...not a good way to get the administration on board with a more public version.
2. The Poly Tech campus has a larger more appealing garden. There, Ellen explained, there is a paid position to upkeep the garden. She believes the campus' satilitte nature and Jehnifer's (the caretaker of sorts) success is the reason why that garden is out in the open.
3. Kiesha and I agree that the garden needs to be in the major part of campus. Our argument don't forget is about community - the garden is the forefront of our motivations. To successfully get the garden in that major piece of campus (and not on a plot more isolated like across University for ex.) we will need to confront the President and Provost. Its not a cutsie little student activity we'd be asking for space for, Ellen explained. She pointed out our up hill challenge: we need to prove to the managing administration that an on campus garden won't be an eye sore but will be a marketing tool. MARKETING TOOL!! This is a totally new challenge.
4. Because the campus garden would have to be carefully maintained, I suggested and Ellen agreed, that there would have to be a paid position on campus to keep an eye on the garden. It can't fall into disrepair like the current garden has. This blows the scale of our project way up. We have to prove with some data that a community is not only possible, but marketable. EK!
5. We've got a meeting this coming Tuesday with Jehnifer - the person in charge of the Poly Tech garden. I'm interested to see in what she has to say.
BTW: Our poll has had massive set backs. We have had issues getting approval to send it out. We are waiting on a response from the office of the Provost. We may need to go to field for manual answers...
ReplyDeleteBut the reason I bring it up is to point out that the poll has taken a new priority. Ellen explained that a BIG part of getting upper managment on board is to have the students on board. If we can get the Provost to agree, and a mass amount of students return feedback about wanting a garden, then that may just be the piece of the puzzle we need - Ellen suggests - to get the President to get on board.... EK!!! Come on PROVOST! You're on our side, RIGHT?!?!