In an effort to improve various aspects of the University, a focus group has been hired to perform tasks that will give the administration ideas on which areas of SLU need development.

The Stillwater Group is a group of consultants that conduct interviews, surveys and focus groups in order to provide critiques for universities on how well they are operate. All of the individual Stillwater members visiting SLU have past experiences in a university setting. The group as a whole has worked with the financial aid and registration departments at Georgetown University and the University of Chicago.

“The Stillwater Group focuses primarily on the university improvement process,” said Joe McCarthy, assistant executive vice president of planning and management systems. “It’s a business technique that has been used for years.”

Phase One of the project is taking place this week. Stillwater members have been conducting interviews and focus groups with President Biondi and his board, the central administration and the deans of all the schools. Also being interviewed are the managers of the school budget and purchasing boards. Interviews of 10 student, faculty and staff groups concluded yesterday.

According to McCarthy, the occurrence of Phase Two will depend on the outcome of Phase One.

If the group feels they have good feeling from the University, then they will immediately conduct a retreat with the deans,” McCarthy said.

“If there are still questions then they’ll have a survey across all of the University. Then they will tell us if those findings are representative of the University’s feelings.

A survey of the entire University, McCarthy added, will be a large added expense to the money already being paid to the Stillwater Group for their work here.

If Phase Two involves the survey of the entire University, it will likely occur within the next 60 days.

A student interviewed by the Stillwater Group, who wanted to remain anonymous, believes that the organization will provide positive outcomes for SLU.