The Boston University Student Government discussed pushback from the University regarding an admissions diversity statement and endorsed a focus group for the MyBU student portal in its meeting yesterday.
Student Body President Akwasi Antwi said the BU administration deemed the diversity statement endorsed at the last meeting “not appropriate” to share with the student body.
“It’s very surprising because in the past, student government has been able to use the email platform to make some needed and important messages regarding how the student government feels,” Antwi said in his address.
According to Antwi, the statement will still be posted on the StuGov Instagram as discussed in the previous meeting.
The MyBU student portal feedback group, presented by Terriers United Party Leader Jacob Aznavoorian and Director of Communication to Enrolled Students Alex Bellerose, aims to increase feedback among students about their thoughts on the MyBU system, according to Bellerose.
Bellerose said the group, nicknamed SIS Co by Aznavoorian, hopes to meet monthly and expand to discuss other issues concerning the student body including student employment, financial aid and class registration.
“We’re also hoping that this group can put together larger forums, maybe in a space like [the student government meeting] or tabling, other ways we can just get wider reach through the student body,” Bellerose said. “We definitely want to make sure there are as many voices heard as possible.”
The proposal was endorsed with 33 votes.
The Executive Committee presented a collaboration with 16k Strong, a student government committee to prevent and educate students about sexual assault, to create a report detailing survivors’ experiences for approaching safety on campus. The committee is also working on a second report concerning international student alumni.
All reports are done to inform the student government and senate about issues they are looking into, according to the committee’s presentation.
The Mental Health Committee announced an initiative to increase depth and awareness for dining hall food nutrition facts. The Committee also said its upcoming mental health fair will be in the GSU plaza from 12-2 p.m. on Nov. 7.
The StuGov Cabinet discussed their plans for a second attempt to create a syllabus archive and an effort with BU Dining Services to hand out food at night for students before they go out to prevent “alcohol intoxication.”
The IMPACT committee, a group dedicated to amplifying diverse communities, requested money for fundraising food and a table runner for meetings and events. The IMPACTBU party, a separate group and BU’s at-large party, asked for financing to build a website to determine resources BU students are lacking so they can address these issues.
With 29 affirmative votes for the first proposal, the IMPACT committee was awarded $1,300, and the party received approval for their website with 24 affirmative votes.
