Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Steven Moser sat in the first of a series of Coffee Chats on March 31.

These meetings allow faculty, staff and students to have a conversation with Moser. There is no need to make an appointment to chat with Moser.

“The Coffee Chats are an opportunity for me, in an informal setting, to hear from the campus community their thoughts, concerns and suggestions about how we continue to move Southern Miss forward,” Moser said.

Sociology professor Ann Marie Kinnell was one of seven faculty members who attended the Coffee Chat. Kinnell said though the chat was small, those present covered quite a few issues.

“It’s important for us to feel that we can air our concerns,” Kinnell said. “There are quite a few official channels through which we can do this, but sometimes a casual meeting is needed also. It’s about building relationships not just airing concerns or giving and receiving information.”

There will be eight more Coffee Chats throughout the month of April on both the Hattiesburg and Gulf Coast campus. The next Coffee Chat will be on April 5 in TEC Room 102.

The Coffee Chats will continue to address community concerns and give Moser the chance to see what Southern Miss wants.

“To get the work of the university done, its important to build relationships,” Kinnell said, “You don’t build relationships through memos and email. You do it through face-to-face conversations.”