In an attempt to improve relations between Student Council and the University community, Council has implemented a plan to send student liaisons to various student organizations as well as to the Board of Visitors and the Faculty Senate.
The liaison system was created over the summer by a team of Council Executive Board members, who include Council President Taz Turner, Vice President for Administration Brock Jolly and Communications Director Brooke Brower.
Through the system, each undergraduate Council representative is assigned an organization and is obligated to attend meetings and establish relationships with the leaders of that group.
Brower assigned 23 organizations liaisons and he said he tried to select well-established groups that affect a large number of students.
He added that he attempted to assign liaison to organizations that "have the potential to impact all students lives."
Brower said representatives should attend the organization's weekly meetings and "proactively check in" with their assigned groups.
Jolly said he felt the program allows groups to air any concerns they have without facing the formal atmosphere of a Council meeting.
"I think sometimes Council meetings can be intimidating, even though there is a portion of individuals and groups to address Council with their concerns," he said. "This way we can go out to them rather than forcing them to come to us."
College Rep. Carrie Altman said she thought the system will help "connect people on a personal level," since not all CIOs have contact with Council on a regular basis.
College Rep. Nathan Cook is assigned to work with the Inter-Sorority Council.
Cook said he felt the system will provide an opportunity for Council to form a stronger bond with the Greek system at the University.
ISC President Margaret Dumas said she planned to meet with Cook yesterday and felt the program would be positive for both the ISC and Council.
Areshini Pather, president of the University's chapter of the National Organization for Women, said she has high hopes for the future of the new system.
"It's important that Council stay abreast of changes in student organizations," Pather said. The system "could only be a success."
NOW's liaison is Commerce School Rep. Dan Austin.
Austin said he hopes to form a strong relationship with NOW.
"Instead of bantering back and forth, the liaison will ideally be a friend that respective student groups will feel comfortable talking with," he said.
College Republicans President John Blair said although his organization did not receive a liaison, he is not disappointed with Council.
"If we have a problem ... we have proper channels to contact our representatives," he said.
Some representatives have raised the idea of mandating that Council maintain some form of contact with every CIO.
College Rep. Marc Olsen is sponsoring a resolution that will be debated tonight and would require Council to contact every CIO every semester.
Brower said he feels the idea has potential, and would be a "less-involved commitment" than the liaison system.
Council should "make sure CIOs are talking to someone from Council once a semester," he said, and develop a "consistent, ongoing dialogue."
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