Students meet President Suresh halfway for second annual meeting

This Wednesday, President Subra Suresh will be holding an annual update to highlight the university’s milestones and share thoughts on the university’s future. Following the presentation, there will be a Q&A session open to faculty, staff, and students both in and outside of Pittsburgh.

In the past academic year, President Suresh led a listening tour tailored to students, parents, staff, faculty, and alumni that focused on setting priorities for the university. Suresh also announced the launch of a university-wide strategic planning process to map the direction of the university for the next five to 10 years. This planning process was a result of the input he received during his listening tours.

Although it’s commendable that President Suresh has spearheaded important campus initiatives and updated the campus with positive announcements, there is still much to be done. As a leader of the campus community, President Suresh has an obviously influential presence on campus.

However, most of Suresh’s rhetoric has typically consisted of buzzwords that, despite promoting the university’s overall reputation, have little to do with the majority of students’ current concerns. Carnegie Mellon’s identity and global reputation may be critical to our future, but there are issues closer to home as well.

The Tartan is glad to see President Suresh facilitating another productive discussion and inviting student input. However, it is also important for students to bring thoughtful questions and concerns to the table.

President Suresh has already established himself as a community listener, so it’s the campus community’s responsibility to be vocal and help the university move forward.

President Suresh’s annual update will be in McConomy Auditorium, this Wednesday at 4 p.m. The presentation will also be available live online.