ON OCT. 12, The Cavalier Daily published the lead editorial entitled, "A Stalled Student Council." While we'd like to respond to every point raised in the Managing Board's editorial, there are simply too many errors and inconsistencies to address each and every one: Therefore, we will focus on the key assertion that Student Council, thus far, has been ineffective.
Firstly, Council's main objective is "to protect and improve the rights, opportunities and quality of life of every student." We envision a Council that is fully transparent and competent to address student concerns. Therefore, we have and will continue to keep our agenda of bettering the university at the forefront.
Granted that only 25 percent of the academic year has passed, but here are a few items we've accomplished to date: (1) appropriated Over $30,000 to student CIOs through the newly implemented Rolling Appropriations Process; (2) sponsored the Third Annual Forum on Higher Education, featuring elected state delegates and gubernatorial candidate Russell Potts; (3) began seeking applications for the Independent Students Arts Fund to appropriate $3,000 to student artists; (4) created $10,000 worth of student scholarships to help students' organizational dues, book expenses and general college living costs; (5) assisted CIOs with fundraising through U.Va. sports concessions with $3,500 procured thus far. (6) implemented the Late Night Busing Service; (7) planned a Halloween Trick-or-Treat event for underprivileged Charlottesville youth on Madison lane; and (8) held SafeRide informational meetings for first-year and transfer students.
As a Council, we continue to address the acts of intolerance that occurred at the beginning of the school year and have reformatted our agenda to ensure that this issue remains a priority. In September, we created an ad hoc committee consisting of University students and Council representatives to address acts of intolerance. Additionally, we collaborated with the Honor and University Judiciary Committees to write an awareness article to alumni in the Virginia Alumni Magazine. Furthermore, over the last month, we have worked with the President's Office to create and distribute educational flyers.
Moreover, we have numerous upcoming initiatives that cover a range of student issues. For instance, we are working with Architecture School students to create safe, lighted and aesthetically pleasing bus stops. Also, we are working with Dining Services to explore the extension of late-night dining options on Grounds and our Diversity Initiatives Committee is creating an "International Film Series" to increase multicultural education. Also, look forward to the upcoming StudCo Concerns Forum, on Nov. 2 which will be instrumental in garnering student opinion.
We appreciate the Cavalier Daily's Managing Board for raising this issue because we need your help. We are looking for students who are passionate about shaping their environment to get involved with the planning and execution of initiatives that impact student life. Also, we look to The Cavalier Daily to work with the students as a positive force leading change within our community. It is our desire to create a spirit of collaboration between Student Council and The Cavalier Daily, to build up our community and drive readership through thoroughly researched information rather than tear down it down with controversial editorials lacking insight, substance and concern for students and parents who have lost a loved one attending the University.
Please join us every Tuesday in Newcomb's South Meeting Room at 6pm to express your concerns and/or complaints at our meetings. In addition, please email us at ask-studco@virginiaedu with questions. We were elected to listen and to serve -- that is exactly what we are doing.
Jequeatta Upton is the Student Council president. Darius Nabors is the Student Council executive vice president.
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