The Student Assembly hopes to gain permission from the University Registrar’s office to set up a school-wide listserv to send updates on campus issues, with the goal of better engaging the student body.
This topic was one of the issues discussed at yesterday’s S.A. meeting in Willard Straight Hall.
The move for greater communication with students was a primary issue for Natalie Raps ’12, vice president for public relations, who noted that she had “hit a wall” in spreading word of the Assembly’s initiatives. She expressed that innovative veins of communication were crucial to spreading the Assembly’s messages.
“A lot of things we plan to do this year involve the Internet. A lot of students don’t know who we are, what we do, or the fact that we can help all students.”
Raps explained that a potential e-mail system would be similar to what Class Councils currently use, where students receive messages every few weeks updating them on important happenings in the community. However, Raps said she hopes the updates will serve as more than just another inbox filler for students.
“I would really like this as a way to invite people for reactions,” Raps said. “It really can make the student governing body a place all students are a part of.”
Another hot-button topic discussed was the tentative changes to the University Recognition Policy, which include heavy sanctions on drinking within the Greek community. Vincent Andrews ’11, president of the S.A., emphasized that the Assembly was not making judgements one way or another on the rules, but rather hoped to work closely with the administration as they move forward with implementing the rules.
“The changes that have been proposed could affect life on North Campus, on West Campus, in Collegetown,” Andrews said. “The S.A. is not necessarily looking to support one organization over another. We must remember that we represent all students.”
Andrews noted that after the Greek rule changes were announced, the Student Assembly drafted a letter to Vice President Susan Murphy ’73, Dean Kent Hubbell ’69 and other administrators expressing concern that the S.A. was not consulted about how the changes would affect its constituents. Andrews said that the administration “heard our grievances,” and that the S.A. will be included in the discussion for how to best implement the changes.
Raps expanded on Andrews’ point that the rule changes have the potential to affect everyone.
“It’s not just the Greeks who have comments on the new policy,” Raps said, addressing the Assembly representatives. “I hope you guys go into your specific communities and see what’s bothering them.”
Original Author: Brendan Doyle