think bailey blog: February 2008

Hello community,

I'm hoping that everyone has read Glenn's email before reading this one. (If not, I highly encourage everyone to do so! He's no Nicholas Sparks but it's still good....lol...kidding, Glenn).

He and Don both raise important questions. I personally am drawn to the question Glenn asks: "Do we meet the needs of the University, College and Department but are not basing this entirely on their influences?"

I wish we could only worry about meeting our own community needs but to exist in the university, we must follow what they require of us. And when Glenn came on, 75-100 community members was necessary for our continued existence. Luckily for us, we've reached that. And now we find ourselves asking, "Is it possible to be TOO big?" and "Would Bailey still be Bailey with 150+ community members?" and even "Would I want to be a part of Bailey if it grew that big?"

The first thing that I need to realize for myself is this: everything is relative. Whatever decisions are made in BCC and in the community, they will not please everyone. This saddens me so much....to think that some people would choose not to be part of a community that grew larger. But it also saddens me to think that we would ever NOT let someone become a member of Bailey if they truly wished to.

All I know is that I personally do not have all the answers. None of us do. But part of the perks of being in a community is that we can discuss with passion (rather than argue with raised voices) finding those answers together. Again, we must keep in mind that not everyone will agree but a consensus needs to be reached (in my opinion) so that Bailey can know which direction it now travels: one of unlimited growth or one of controlled sustainability or something completely different.

I encourage....beg......urge everyone with a voice and a thought about any of these questions to speak so that as a community we can forge the path Bailey will take in its next 10 years.

Please join the dialogue. In addition to sending this email, I'm posting a new thread on ThinkBailey.com where we can discuss. Also, PLEASE remember that BCC meets every Monday at 6pm in the Bailey space. We'd love to fill every chair in the room with impassioned Baileyites.

Peace and love for ALL Bailey members,

Dustin Petty