The general body of the Student Council gathered Tuesday to hear various updates from the Executive Board and representatives. Several individuals who spoke during the meeting encouraged fellow council members to vote and participate in the system of student self-governance at the University.
Clay Dickerson, Student Council president and fourth-year College student, said he predicts voter turnout will increase this year compared to last year. He said that with all that has ensued on Grounds in the last year, student desire to affect the course of the University has only increased.
“This last year has been so crazy, but I think it is really exciting because I can’t imagine that we'll have low voter turnout this semester,” Dickerson said.
Lily Dorathy, chief of coalitions and fourth-year Batten student, shared a similar sentiment to Dickerson, citing the importance of voter participation in upholding Thomas Jefferson’s vision of a school led by students first. Dorathy also encouraged the members of Student Council and the student body to approach their ballot well-educated on how their own beliefs align with the platforms of all candidates.
“The University of Virginia didn't actually get a president until the 1900s. We were actually founded with the intention of being run solely by students,” Dorathy said. “Don't be lazy, and vote according to your principles in court and vote according to how you want to see change in the future.”
Second-year College Representative Lucas Addison echoed Dickerson’s point as well, citing that student self-governance stands on a foundation of student engagement with the system.
“Make sure you tell all your friends to vote. Student self-governance looks more legitimate as a whole when more people participate,” Addison said. “And I think that a fair amount of people will participate this year, simply because of interest in the process that's been brought up by recent events.”
Third-year Architecture Representative Philippe Hempel also gave an update on some of the work the Residential College Coalition has been focused on. The Residential College Coalition — made up of Brown, Hereford and the International Residential College — was established through an October Student Council resolution that agreed to strengthen the relationships and communication links among the three residential colleges on Grounds.
The Coalition will now host an Endless 5k in March, which will enlist various teams to run ongoing 5ks each hour over the course of the day. The event will also resemble the fall and spring activities fair in that it will gather a wide range of student organizations in one space, allowing them to engage directly with attendees. However, instead of traditional tabling, participating groups — including Contracted Independent Organizations and other student and community organizations — will offer interactive demonstrations that showcase their work. Organizations will set up booths and share with attendees the kind of work they do.
Hempel said that the event already has over a dozen co-sponsors and partners, and he expects it to be a meaningful day for the University community.
Proceeds from the event will benefit the Public Housing Association of Residents, a local organization that advocates for affordable housing in Charlottesville.
Hempel said residential colleges have struggled with visibility, noting that many students are unfamiliar with their role on Grounds and the programming they provide. He described the Endless 5k as an effort to engage both the broader University and Charlottesville communities by showcasing the work residential colleges and participating organizations do throughout the year.
“One of the big narratives behind this event is we are really trying to bring unity across Grounds and Charlottesville,” Hempel said. “In a way this whole event is about resilience and about community and coming together and supporting each other.”
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