Hello everyone! I hope the end of the semester is going well for all of you. The Senate is finishing off the year building a strong plan for the coming year. We’ve come to a consensus on the goals that we will be tackling and on the projects to accomplish those goals. As we continue working on the plan, it is important that you know what we are working on, where we are in the process, and if we are succeeding. In other words, it is important that we hold ourselves and you hold us accountable for the goals we set out to accomplish.
There are several ways we are going to accomplish this. We are in the process of building a new web application. I say application because it will no longer be a regular web site. It will have discussion forums, easy methods for students to provide input on policy and other issues of concern, and information detailing committee work and our progress in accomplishing the goals set forth in the beginning. If you are interested in helping us build the site or would like to write any content for it, please contact me before you leave for the summer. In addition, we are considering publishing a monthly news letter to interested students detailing our work for the month.
On a more personal note, we are organizing times for senators to go talk with individuals, organizations, sports teams, and others on campus to communicate what we are doing and to get valuable feedback. You can also expect to see us having on-campus barbeques and other events to rally student interest, feedback and, well, to have a good time.
In the wake of recent policy changes, communication more than ever is at the forefront of my agenda. There are several steps that need to be taken to ensure that student leadership is involved in administrative decisions. First, I will most definitely take Dr. Jackson’s offer and meet with her on a monthly basis. It is equally important that other student leaders and I communicate any changes in policy or administrative decisions to students, using some of the aforementioned methods, and to create an active dialogue. It is important to do this all year around, not only after we hear about a change.
In addition, Dr. Eddie Knowles, vice-president for student life has asked me to help put together a leadership council consisting of about 20 students. The purpose of the council will be to meet with Dr. Knowles on a regular basis (once or twice a month). Dr. Knowles will have the opportunity to communicate administrative ideas to the council, while the council can communicate student concerns and ideas. The council members can then report back to their constituents. I am in the process of finding members for this committee. While there will be a few members with official titles, we are also looking for leaders on the campus without titles. These could be leaders in athletics, in academic schools or in the general student body. Please help me to populate this vitally important council by contacting me if you are interested or know someone whom you feel would represent their constituents well. The council will be much more effective if we have a diverse group of students.
In closing, I wish everyone the best of luck on their exams and on their endeavors over the summer. While I will be in Seattle over the summer, I will still be checking my e-mail frequently, so please feel free to contact me. Once again, we are always looking for students interested in getting involved. In particular, we need graduate student representation! So contact me if you’re interested. Good night everyone.
