Friday, April 21, 2017 Staff celebrate the last Franco Friday
On Friday, April 21, the last Franco Friday networking event took place at the Recreation and Wellness Center on East Campus. Prior to the event, Student Affairs Staff Council members encouraged City Campus employees to take the bus to East Campus to broaden their campus knowledge.
The event took place in the new test kitchen where Campus Recreation offered Scooter’s coffee and fruit and yogurt parfaits to attendees.
Dr. Franco spoke promptly at nine o’clock. He began by introducing Staff Council members and inviting others interested in participating in the Council to contact him. In his remarks, Franco recapped the numerous recognition events taking place over the past couple weeks and throughout this weekend:
- Ivy Day (Mortar Board & Innocents Society)
- Student Impact Awards (Student Involvement)
- Celebration of Service, Leadership and Character (Center for Civic Engagement)
- Franco’s List & the new Sam Folz Award (Character Council)
- Lavender Graduation & the drag show (LGBTQA+ Resource Center)
- Outstanding Student Leader Awards (Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs)
- Honors Convocation
Additional changes discussed included the opening of the new Cather Complex dining facility scheduled for June 4, the Daily Nebraskan’s move from a print newspaper to online news and a monthly magazine, and his retirement to faculty on July 1.
In the late summer Franco looks forward to traveling to visit his children and grandchildren. When he returns for the fall semester, he is eager to teach freshman and sophomore students in Educational Psychology. He added that he speculates an interim vice chancellor will be announced while a national search for the position would take place.
Student Affairs staff members asked questions related to the future of Family Weekend and funding to student organizations. Franco said he anticipates that both programs will continue with minimal changes for the upcoming year.
Other questions related to the progress and timeline of construction on the College of Business (opening this fall) and new health center (opening in fall 2018), as well as the anticipated implosion of old University Housing structures (estimated in 2018).
Toward the end of the event, Campus Recreation staff members provided a facility tour. Highlights included wood paneling in the administrative offices and check-in area that is from old basketball court floor, the view of the exterior building façade from the basketball court, the state-of-the-art equipment available throughout the facility, a patio for events on the second floor and a full-service Scooter’s coffee shop on the main level.