President-designate Lou Anna Simon admits she has a bias.

Whether she was garnering support for college reorganization or worrying about why research refrigerators had some unwanted mold in them, she has been consciously focused on academic issues as provost.

When Simon becomes president Jan. 1, however, she will have a whole different pack of issues to focus on, including security, drinking and athletics on campus.

Those concerned about how Simon will transition from provost to president and what her priorities will be when the new year begins had a chance to talk to her at Case Hall on Tuesday.

"I'm interested in hearing from students on how to promote inclusion and working to make students feel a part of the community," Simon said, adding that student retention problems occur because some Spartans might feel they don't have a voice on campus.

Only 15 students showed up to the question and answer session sponsored by the Residence Halls Association.

Major concerns brought up by the students included safety on campus, college reorganization and renovations to Spartan Stadium.

During the hour-long session, when an issue arose that Simon was not up to speed on, she reminded students that as provost, she has not dabbled in all of the university's problems.

After the first of the year, Simon said she will be holding debriefings with those involved in issues she needs more information on.

"There's a whole list of things that I need to get up to speed on," Simon said. "Right now I just have to shift a bit, so when I come back and talk with you all in the spring, I'll be ready."

Simon said she hopes to hold another session sometime during the spring semester. She then fielded questions while sipping water in a chair in the North Case Lounge.

The looming issue of safety on campus was brought up by Derek Wallbank, an ASMSU representative for the Council for Students with Disabilities. In light of the 12 reported sexual assaults this fall semester - although one was falsified - Wallbank wanted to know if Simon planned on installing more green light telephones and lighting on campus.

Simon said she didn't think more phones and lights were needed. If the community changed its attitudes and tried to help one another other, there wouldn't be as many safety issues, she said.

"Talking about more green light phones and lighting is shifting the issue away from our need to start taking care of each other," Simon said.

She said she hopes the newly created campus safety commission will offer insight into ways to deal with assault problems.

International relations and French sophomore Elizabeth Lostracco said she attended the event because she was concerned about the future of the James Madison College.

Lostracco said she wasn't sure how MSU's study abroad program would grow when language courses were being cut, and she also hoped university administration would cut down on class sizes in Madison courses.

Simon said course availability is a problem on campus.

"As the budget has effected our number of upper level classes, the amount of course choice is less than I think it should be," Simon said. "Foreign language is not the only place where we're not as deep as we need to be."

Gathering support in the capital campaign and fighting to secure more state appropriations are ways to avoid cutting more classes, Simon said.

After the event, Josh Rabinowitz, RHA vice president, said the session allowed students to learn about Simon and her stance on university issues.

"Students should know about what's going on around them," Rabinowitz said. "A lot of them don't know."