Union aims to confront senators’ challenges at meeting

Student Union members discussed the challenges they faced throughout the semester and how to overcome them at the General Assembly meeting Monday night.

Union Vice President Alex Staikos noted discrepancies between people’s goals and their expectations of how to achieve them within committees. The main obstacles, he said, included low attendance at committee meetings and difficulties in carrying out initiatives to completion.

“I know that we have a lot of standards in Student Union that aren’t necessary met,” the School of Management sophomore said.

Staikos asked senators what they aim to accomplish during the rest of the semester and if expectations need to be changed in what may be the first step to addressing issues through open discussion.

Sen. Caitlin Seele, a SMG sophomore, said the main problem is the lack of progress people feel they’ve made at meetings.

Seele said students do not take Union seriously because they have not seen a lot of recent changes around campus.

Sen. Tarif Ahmed, a College of Arts and Sciences junior, asked if the members consider themselves the representative voice of students at BU.

While Sen. Dexter McCoy said he noticed passionate vibes from members at the start of the year, he noted he would like to see members communicate with students on campus about Union’s efforts.

“We need to connect with clubs and the student body and excite them about what is to come next year and in the future,” McCoy, a College of Fine Arts sophomore, said.

It is important to establish contacts with the student body so people have a face to associate with their senator, said Advocacy Committee Chair D.A. Whatley.

“If people know that their senator is making a consciousness effort, maybe they will start to view Union as a more legitimate resource,” Whatley said.

A number of members, including Sen. Izzy Rahman, said developing a stronger sense of community within Union could make the experiences more rewarding.

“The environment needs to be changed,” the SMG sophomore said. “Not everyone here really knows each other and it’s very stiff. It is not rewarding. It is just punishing if you do something wrong.”

Vivian Chao, chair of the events committee, said people tend to be less motivated when working together if they do not get a chance to know each other.

“We don’t really have the atmosphere where we are working together toward one goal,” Chao, a SMG sophomore, said.

Union Chief of Staff Sophia Woyda said she is working to get Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore to come to the next Union meeting. Woyda, a CAS junior, told members to bring friends to help get more students involved.

Members not only addressed the obstacles they faced, but also reviewed ongoing projects and their progress, including the smoking courtesy campaign, the 24/7 study space and other efforts.

The advocacy committee presented several updates and ideas, including Whatley’s plans with Executive
Director of Student Activities and Operations John Battaglino for the smoking courtesy campaign. Whatley said he and the dean are set to meet on March 28.

“We do not want to be harping on smokers too much,” Whatley said. “We want it to be a fair campaign.”

Whatley said one of their ideas was to add ashtrays around campus.

Union President Howard Male suggested adding courteous messages on the ashtrays.

“Some people need to be reminded that when you smoke, it does impact others,” Male said.

Whatley said he hopes to see the smoking courtesy campaign implemented before the summer.

Student Union should focus on getting a solid foundation for a 24/7 space and then it get be picked up in the fall, Seele said. Each college should work with IT to get printer accessibility, said Union Chief of Staff Sophia Woyda.

Chao said Union will lead a flash mob on April 27 to bring student groups and individuals together in a fun atmosphere. Battaglino, the BU band and a number of professors will participate.