A semester after being implemented, the class councils are beginning to make a mark at UR.
“They are above and beyond our wildest expectations,” senior and Students’ Association President John LaBoda said. “They’ve all done just outstanding work.”
The 2005 Class Council has hit the ground running. They have spearheaded an effort to work with the Freshman Advisory Committee to evaluate the first semester of freshman housing. Out of that effort has emerged a discussion on whether the freshmen would be better housed in the Susan B. Anthony Residence Halls, Hoeing Hall and Gilbert Hall.
“That’s what we’re mainly focused on right now,” 2005 Council President Jesse Bailey said.
The 2005 Class Council has future plans as well including the creation of a meeting place on the Residential Quad in Gilbert, an increase of basic information circulating to freshmen and to help with next year’s orientation process. They also hope to increase spirit on campus and freshman representation on UR committees.
The meeting place planned for the Gilbert Community room is tentatively scheduled to open in mid-February. The council should have a budget of around $5,000 to spend on the project, Bailey said.
Freshman Mubarek Said, who is in charge of the Council’s project to increase spirit within the class and at UR, has decided to form a group he calls the Rowdies. The Rowdies will be a group of students who attend athletic and other UR events wearing the same colors and “just being rowdy.”
The council is also helping the FAC examine the upcoming orientation process for the Class of 2006. One of the problems, Said said, is “there needs to be more information available.”
He said he was unaware how his meal plan worked when he arrived at UR and didn’t understand the course registration process.
The council also wants to increase information about events going on in the city of Rochester.
“We want to make sure that they take better advantage of what opportunities are available,” Bailey said.
The council plans to commit itself to publishing brochures on the different meal plans available, an easier to read UR Here poster and a large guide to the City of Rochester for future classes to use.
“The great thing isn’t that it happened,” Bailey said of the coming together of the council. “The great thing is that it’s happening so quickly.”
Older Clasess
And, while the 2003 and 2004 councils haven’t come together quite as fast, both councils are beginning to set their program down for the rest of the semester.
2003 Class Council president Beth Haber said her council wants to do the best it can to bring the junior class together.
It began attempting to meet the goal by planning its first Junior Night Jan. 17 at Buffalo Wild Wings. Haber said over 200 people attended the event.
Katherine Kaminski, the vice president of communications for the 2003 council, agreed with Haber, calling the Junior Night a “huge success.”
“People keep asking me, ‘When’s the next one? When’s the next one?” Kaminski said.
While the date isn’t final yet, it should occur sometime in early February.
“Its going to be really super cool,” Haber said.
Other long-term goals include interclass programs and an early search for a graduation speaker.
The 2004 Class Council will assist the Sue B. Food for Thought Lecture Series by providing monetary funding to help secure more speakers for the event. The lecture series was started in the fall by Sue B. residential advisers.
Noah Kutchar, the president of the 2004 class council, who is also a member of LaBoda’s cabinet, said he hopes that they will be able to plan an interclass event in the coming months between the sophomores and the freshmen that will help the freshmen prepare forupcoming major decisions in a fun environment. One idea on the table includes paintball, advising and dinner.
“We want to make sure we do a lot this year and are successful,” Kutchar said. “We want to provide a basis for future classes and future councils. This year is the hardest, because the council idea is just beginning, but it is also the most important.”
Meeting times
The 2003 Class Council meets every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. in the Ruth Merrill Center. The 2004 Council meets Wednesday at 9:05 p.m. in the Hirst Lounge. The 2005 Class Council meets in the Gilbert community room on Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m.
For more information on joining the councils or for details on any upcoming events, contact Bailey at jb008k@mail.rochester.edu, Kutchar at nf004j@mail. rochester.edu or Haber at bh001i@mail.rochester.edu.
Hildebrandt can be reached at thildebrandt@campustimes.org.
