At the latest Student Senate meeting on Nov. 13, the senate welcomed a special guest: Jim Cox, the director of Ashland University’s correctional education program. He gave a talk on the incarcerated students at Ashland University, who make up a significant portion of the overall student population. 

 “Ashland University is the largest provider of college education to incarcerated men and women in the United States,” he said, highlighting the significance of Ashland’s correctional education program. “We educate close to 3,000 incarcerated men and women across the United States every semester,” he continued. This is about half of Ashland University students. 

He further touched on the point that incarcerated students could become involved remotely in student senate by sending in comments that could be reviewed by the organization. He believes it is important to build a strong education and pathways to a stable financial situation for these people, who will largely be released from conviction to help build a more positive future for them and their families.  

In addition to Cox’s talk with the student senate, other topics addressed during the meeting included the Activities, Budgeting and Chartering Committee getting a new faculty advisor, a reminder that dorm halls will close at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26 for Thanksgiving break and at 6 p.m. as well on Dec. 13 for winter break. 

Student senate meets every Tuesday in the ABCD Conference Room of the Student Center at 9:30 p.m. For more information about student senate and other campus organizations and events, visit Engage Ashland.