The new Student Council president officially has taken over, as Jeaqueatta Upton was sworn into office at Tuesday's Council meeting to begin working on her goals of improving police communication, cell phone plans and printing systems, among others.
"I'm really looking forward to this upcoming year and letting students know that StudCo is here," Upton said. "We have a fantastic executive board that works to improve the lives of students here."
Upton said she looks forward to pursuing both new goals and expanding on the goals of executives from the past year, including working on off-Grounds housing.
"We'll continue to make sure that's fair and also to push back housing agreement dates, something I think will be very helpful," Upton said.
When her term officially begins next fall, Upton said she is planning several new initiatives. She said she wants to establish stronger ties with the Charlottesville Police as well as reform the library printing system for students.
"I'd like to decrease the price for printing or look at a quota system in libraries," Upton said.
She added that she also has large-scale goals such as bringing the 2008 presidential debate to Charlottesville.
Additionally, Upton said Council will look into making a University-wide cell phone plan.
"A lot of students don't use phones in their room," Upton said. "We're looking into a cell phone plan instead of land lines."
Upton said Sullivan implemented impressive programs that will continue to thrive.
"His establishment of the Off-Grounds Housing Office has been really instrumental in establishing Council's relationship with the Blue Ridge Apartment Council," Upton said. "I think that the Off-Grounds Housing Office is going to do great things and getting information out to students and fair pricing."
Upton said while she is excited about her new position, she will miss outgoing executive board members.
"I'm going to miss outgoing exec a lot, because they worked very hard this year and did a lot of things for students," she said. "They were a great installation. I want to take their goals and expand on them for next year."
At Council's last meeting of the academic year, outgoing Council President Noah Sullivan told fellow Council members he has been pleased with Council's performance over the last year.
Sullivan said Council has had success with housing, improving diversity and easing students into the charter process.
Sullivan added that the appropriations process was a crucial development because the measures put in place this year allowed Council to have a more active role.
"We put so much energy into doing great things, because you only have so much time to operate," Sullivan said. "No one knows what is going on and the work that we're doing. It's very difficult to get students to pay much attention. That's not our job. Our job is to make sure we're serving their interests."
Sullivan said he hopes Council will continue to keep student interest its main priority.
"I would hope that their priorities are to do the great things and that the second priority is to get the information out there," Sullivan said. "Sometimes representatives base platforms on getting the students aware of what Council is doing. We have a lot of things that we can be proud of, and I would hope that they would continue going on with that basic purpose"
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