Amiridis: ‘What would you do if you were chancellor?’

By noon on his first day as chancellor, Michael Amiridis had already had donuts with UIC groundskeepers and breakfast with Mayor Rahm Emanuel before attending a technology innovation press conference held by Sen. Dick Durbin.

But “this meeting is the most important meeting for me today,” he told the 47 UIC student leaders invited to lunch on the 28th floor of University Hall.

“There is a lot of work to do and I need your help.”

Amiridis asked the students for their questions and comments. “Tell me, what would you do if you were chancellor?” he asked.

They replied with comments that ranged from parking costs and campus food quality to accesss to higher education for undocumented students and the need to strengthen the sense of community on campus.

Other topics: the importance of getting college students involved in the political process, the role of athletics and expanded honors classes.

“He seems very supportive of students and our initiatives,” said Annie Li, president of Student Alumni Ambassadors and a senior in health information management. “He’s very approachable. I’m looking forward to working with him.”

“He could change the way people look at UIC,” said Stephanie Tena, president of the Collegiate Panhellenic Council and a student in liberal arts and sciences.“He could bridge the gap between students and staff. And he’s super funny.”

“It’s great that he wants to know how students are feeling. He didn’t have to do this,” said Jamel Russell, president of Minority Students for the Advancement of Public Health and a graduate student in public health. “Hopefully, he’ll follow through.”

Amiridis had his own request for students.

“The things you like about UIC, let the world know,” he said. “The things you don’t like, let us know and give us a chance to correct them.”