2004-2005 Platform

The job of the SGA President and Vice-President is important to both the daily life of current students and that of the universities future students. Therefore, it is appropriate that we divide our platform into issues that concern these constituencies.

Focus on Current Students- Currently, our university is changing rapidly, new construction, a capital fundraising campaign, and other projects for the future we must increase our focus on current students.

While it is important that we plan for our successors, we must strive to improve our daily lives.

Bus Service- The university bus service needs a great deal of improvement so that it better serves the students in convenience, capacity, and scheduling.

University Dining- The students of this university deserve a higher quality of food for there money and the student government should advocate for that. As President and vice-President we would investigate the possibility of contracting with a new dining service or improving the service, quality, and price of our current food service company.

Laundry- If you've ever been short a quarter at the washer or dryer, you know the frustration of not having FREE laundry. By increasing the cost of dorms by a small amount, we can make it possible to have free laundry in all dorms. This would allow student loans, etc, to pay for laundry, saving students cash each week.

Pub on Campus- Over the passed year, the current President and I have pushed to have a pub on campus, at this point, we have arranged for a few trial dates this semester. This plans bring beer to the Round Room and will hopefully lead to a pub open several days a week in the late afternoon and early evening.

Town/Gown- The quality of the students bodies relationship with the local community is very important to the quality of student life. If we can improve communications, we can show the city how valuable the student body is to the culture and vibrancy of the local community.

School Spirit/ Community/ Communication- Our university lacks a sense of community and spirit and it is important that the Student Government focus on improving these characteristics. This can be achieved by increasing communication about events and the university, increasing attendance at games, and advertising the achievements of the university, so all student can appreciate the quality of the our university. We also hope to continue the tradition of spring fest, which is a great way to bring our campus together at least once a year.

Student Commons- The university is currently in the design stage of a new student commons, which requires a great deal of student input and brainstorming. The Student Government is responsible for representing the student body so that student needs are met when the commons is finally completed.

Parking Fees- Multiple building projects on campus are going to impact the amount and cost of parking. Over the next year, it is important that the student government fight to keep costs as low as possible for students, so that those who work during the semester are not giving a substantial portion of their income up just to park on campus.

Club Space- Clubs at the University of Vermont do not have enough space to meet and practice. This is especially true for many clubs sports teams, which require special equipment and large space to practice. Over the past year, we have struggled to secure space for our clubs and we would continue that next year.

Student Health Services- The quality of health service on our campus is lacking, from long waits to bad diagnosis, we need a better systems. This is an extremely complex issue and along with housing all health services under one roof, we would push to improve the service provided to all current students.

New Construction- In the next year, the university will be building new dorms, a parking garage, breaking ground on a student commons, and renovating several buildings and dorms. During this process, it is important that student concerns are addressed in both the design of the structures and in the planning so that daily life is impacted as little as possible.

Although this is just a brief synopsis of the many issues at UVM today, we hope this will provide you with better insight into how we plan to make this campus better in our time as President and Vice-President. Remember to vote on March 8 and 9 in the Baily Howe Library.