Summer Break is quickly approaching, but hard work - not relaxation - is what is on the horizon for Student Council's newly elected administration.
"I do think we're off to a really strong start on every level," Council President John Nelson said. "Now I think we're in a position where we have a lot of great people and we're ready to get started."
Vice President of Administration Nikhil Panda recently presented a series of proposals outlining Council's primary goals for the upcoming semester, including a desire to increase outreach within the University community.
"What I want to see over the next year ... is to make sure that this well-oiled machine is one that is for the student body," he said. "We want to develop an organization that is seen by the University community as one that's a central resource for all students and all student initiatives."
Council hopes to improve its outreach efforts through a revamped contracted independent organization consultant program that aims to assist CIOs. The program will help CIOs construct efficient budget plans and advise them through the appropriations process. Panda said Council will divide the University's CIOs into groups of about 20 and pair each group with both a representative and a CIO consultant.
"The [representatives] can focus on the outreach and CIO consultants can focus on administrative [issues]," Panda said.
Panda also acknowledged, however, that these initiatives may not reach all members of the University community.
"We're definitely missing out on a significant chunk of the student body that doesn't identify themselves with a ... CIO," he said.
To reach a wider body of students, Council hopes to publish a column in The Cavalier Daily in addition to a monthly online newsletter that will include an executive report and a report from the representative body to better inform the University community of Council's current projects and initiatives.
Additionally, Council plans to use Speak Up UVA as a platform for students to voice their opinions and as a tool to gauge student interest in Council initiatives. The Web site was created by Chief Technological Officer William Reynolds and will link to Council's current Web site. Panda said he hopes the site will not only allow students to post their ideas, but also help empower the entire University community.
Nelson said he believes Council's outreach initiatives will benefit both Council and the University community.
"Improving outreach with student groups, writing columns in The Cavalier Daily, producing a newsletter with a listserv throughout the University, and Speak Up UVA all together really will make a big difference on Student Council and for the student body," he said.
Increasing outreach is not Council's only goal, though; several Council members have discussed other initiatives they would like to see through.
Catherine Hartmann, Buildings and Grounds Committee co-chair, said her committee has plans for a publicity push for its "Don't Sign It!" campaign in the fall.
"We plan on increasing awareness ... especially to first years as they come in," she said. "Pressure to sign leases so early really hits these kids early," adding that the committee will begin flyering and chalking near first-year student residences to relaunch the campaign as soon as possible in the fall.
Hartman also added that her committee is currently working with landlords to ensure that students aware of their options before they sign leases. The committee also is trying to schedule a forum with a panel of upperclassmen to "open up the subject to discussion," Hartman said.
In addition to the "Don't Sign It!" campaign, Council is working with the administration and the Office of the Architect to help construct a sustainability house - a "green dorm" for about 10 to 20 students, Environmental Sustainability co-Chair Michelle Henry said.
Henry added that her committee will look next year to achieve the same level of success it saw in implementing its University Garden Project idea this semester.
"Our biggest accomplishment was the community garden," Henry said. "We're going to have volunteers working on it this summer and hopefully working with Madison House to have people working in the garden next year."
Though many committees, including Henry's, achieved success this year, many other committees also faced challenges that hindered some projects' progress.
For example, the Building and Grounds Committee faced significant challenges with its plan to build a bridge by the train tracks near the Corner to create a safer place for pedestrians.
"That hit a lot of road blocks, so unfortunately we won't be able to do that moneywise," co-chair Catherine Hartmann said. "That was tough."
Council as a whole will look to take advantage of a significant planning period this summer, during which several Executive Committee members will be in Charlottesville to iron out details of various projects, Nelson said, noting that the summer months are very important for the development of Council's projects and initiatives.
"FreeRide, the parking garage initiative and the Newspaper [Readership Program] were conversations that started and really materialized over the summer," Nelson said. "We're planning to do the same this year."
He also added that this summer Council will assess the data collected from trial programs of projects like FreeRide and will analyze costs and address budget issues to determine how to best implement similar projects in the fall. Nelson said Council may also discuss changing its appropriations process.
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