A sense of humor and a great personality are two traits the second candidate for the position of associate vice president for student affairs (AVPSA) said she would bring to Iowa State if selected.

“I think I’m pretty funny, while still managing to be respectful,” said Candidate Sharon George Wednesday during an open forum in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. “I don’t have to be so heavy-handed and serious … more can get accomplished this way.”

George, the former director of student life at Central Michigan University, was the second AVPSA candidate to be considered for the position. The first candidate, Rebecca Sanderson of Oregon State University, spoke Friday afternoon.

George discussed her future goals for growth at Iowa State with a group of about 25, emphasizing six main principles in dealing with students, faculty and university issues.

Her first point addressed the need for students, faculty and staff to remain educationally purposeful, working together to strengthen students’ learning experience within a university.

George’s second and third points coincided when she mentioned the importance of free speech within a learning environment, but also recognized the need for a disciplined university community that could monitor its own behavior in and out of the classroom.

“Freedom of speech is sacred but it’s hard to define in the classroom,” George said. “Repeated disruptions can’t be allowed because they infringe on the other students’ learning experience.”

George then focused on the importance of a just academic community, where differences are honored and respected.

“It’s a big world out there. It’s important to understand the cultures both inside and outside of Ames,” she said. “Just because we’re different doesn’t mean we don’t have things in common.

“We all need to appreciate what makes us different while still understanding what makes us the same.”

As a recognized community, George mentioned the university should embrace its cherished traditions, but should also be able to recognize negative ones and be willing to get rid of them to better itself.

Her final point stressed the need for the university to be a caring community, one that recognizes individuals and sees them as more than just groups of people around campus and living in dorms.

“It’s necessary to describe and know the students that attend this university,” George said. “We need to know their fears and dreams. We also need to know about the baggage they bring with them so we can work with them to be successful.”

George also touched on three issues she was most concerned with in the general academic environment.

Understanding freedom of speech was the first one, due to the issues of disruption that occur in the academic environment. Her second concern surrounded the concept of dealing with alcohol being allowed on campus, due to liability Iowa State would have to assume. Dealing with an increasing litigious society was the final issue discussed.

“Now it seems that if someone doesn’t like what’s going on, they immediately call their lawyers,” she said. “But it has to be understood that if we have codes of conduct, we must follow them.”

Carolyn Nading, program coordinator for the office of records and registration, said attended the forum because she will be working on committees with the candidate who is offered the AVPSA position.

“[George] appears to understand a lot of the issues and positions that the university faces,” Nading said. “She seems to have ideas that will make us see how to do things a little differently.”

Clare Smith-Larson, the technology coordinator for records and registration, will also have to work closely with the candidate who is selected.

“I appreciated her ability to answer tough questions, and how she was able to use humor to turn them. It’s important that the candidate be able to present [themself] in front of the people that will work with them. [George] was comfortable with herself, and able to poke fun at herself.”

Candidate Todd Holcomb, the current interim assistant vice president for student affairs at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, will speak in an open forum from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday in the Gallery Room of the Memorial Union.