It’s that time of year — the snow is letting up, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and, of course, SA’s Mid-Year Report just dropped.
The 18-page report includes SA’s self-stated achievements from last semester, along with their goals for the spring semester. Here are some key takeaways, with a focus on accomplishments with tangible implications for students.
Executive Branch
Most of SA’s successes last semester were concentrated in the executive branch, which is led by junior SA President Daniel Pyskaty and sophomore Vice President Elijah-Bader Gregory.
One main achievement was a temporary solution to the loss of Dining Plan Option D due to federal law changes, which forced many onto the pricier Option C plan that offered too much declining for some. The executive branch helped make an interim plan to right-size Option C, but Pyskaty told the Campus Times they are meeting with administrators about a longer-term solution.
Stemming from changes in the administration’s enforcement of time, place, and manner restrictions on on-campus protests amid pro-Palestinian demonstrations, another in-progress executive branch project is the call “for a full review and restructuring of our protest policy,” the report states. SA leadership now meets bi-weekly with the Department of Public Safety (DPS), and they are setting up student roundtables to meet with DPS.
Another key accomplishment came after student pushback against Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Meliora Weekend speaker invitation due to her past comments about transgender people. SA leadership brought students, SA leaders, and administrators together in roundtables to discuss inclusivity action items like increasing staffing to support LGBTQ+ students, expanding space for LGBTQ+ programming and resources, and changes to the Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment “to better protect LGBTQ+ students,” the report reads.
The final key executive achievement came from the junior Jason Lin, secretary of alumni and advancement, whose team helped create two Meliora Collective groups — one for international students and another for SA and Class Council members.
Campus Life Committee, Legislative Branch
Most legislative branch wins came from the SA Senate’s Campus Life Committee.
Legislative Advisor Aaron Weiner ‘24 (E5) and Bader-Gregory worked with UR’s Department of Transportation and Logistics to add a Green Line stop by the residential quad and a Gold Line stop at the Mount Hope Family Center.
According to the report, Campus Life was also in dialogue with mail services about the impacts of student mailboxes being taken away. Students without physical CMC boxes currently get email notifications to pick up their letter mail, and a specific window was opened for letter pickups. Both came after Campus Life requests.
Campus Life also coordinated last semester’s Thanksgiving shuttles,
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, Legislative Branch
SA Senate’s DEI Committee is collaborating with the Biology Department on DEI training for TAs, and they are continuing work from senior Adrija Bhattacharjee SA presidential administration to establish race-related faculty training.
The DEI Committee is also continuing work on an LGBTQ+ resource package for first-year students.
Academic Affairs Committee, Legislative Branch
Last semester, SA Senate’s Academic Affairs Committee started working with the registrar and dean of the college to make Latin honors in line with peer institutions.
They are also making a list of courses that may be included in a public policy major.
International Student Affairs (ISAC) Committee, Legislative Branch
ISAC is creating a resource document for international students on commonly-queried topics like taxes, immigration, and academics.
Administration and Review Committee, Legislative Branch
SA Senate’s ARC, with the Student Organization Review Board, approved 13 new student organizations and derecognized eight.
Intercommittee Work, Legislative Branch
Several SA senators and legislative advisors are working with Residential Life to form an Accessibility Committee, which is beginning this semester.
Judicial Branch
The All-Campus Judicial Council, aside from carrying out their normal academic honesty case duties, conducted their “Know UR Rights” campaign, which featured programming to inform students about their Student Code of Conduct rights and will continue this semester.
