The Georgetown University Student Association, led by President Kaydee Bridges (SFS ‘03) and Vice-President Mason Ayer (SFS ‘03), released a contract with the student body last Thursday outlining GUSA’s goals for the academic year.
According to Bridges and Ayer, GUSA is committed to improving student life and wants to be held accountable for their proposals.
“This contract is a first step in that direction,” Bridges said.
The contract, which binds GUSA to goals such as ensuring student safety, providing greater student freedom in course registration and more evenly distributed funding for student organization, has received positive feedback from students.
“The goals GUSA has outlined in its contract are extremely ambitious, and I applaud the Student Association for recognizing the need for improvement,” said Elizabeth Cease (MSB ‘04).
Bridges said that “safety was a major concern in our platform, but since the University has instituted a 24-hour lockdown policy that we completely disagree with, time is of the essence and we have to act quickly in order to have the policy changed.”
Issues like the lockdown policy must be dealt with immediately in order to make student opinion known and not to let the administration assume students accept the policy, according to Bridges.
Students agreed with GUSA’s stance on the safety policy.
“The unjust lockdown policy is an immediate problem that requires immediate action. Thankfully, GUSA recognizes this. As a club leader, I’d happily offer any resources at my disposal to help in this endeavor,” said Lou Caravella (CAS ‘03), editor-in-chief of The Anthem.
Bridges and Ayer said that they would also like to see online syllabi available to all students in time for pre-registration and off-campus housing available to all students.
GUSA hopes to improve student relations with non-academic University departments, including Facilities Management and the Department of Public Safety.
Students have repeatedly reported difficulties with these departments, and GUSA will work to express those concerns through the development of student-written reports and the formation of multilateral student-faculty-administrative advisory boards, Bridges and Ayer said.
“In my experience with these offices, most of my frustration has resulted from employees who seem unwilling to spend much time helping me. They get caught up in red tape, telling me what they cannot do, and ignore the guidelines that are established to make the process as efficient as possible,” Cease said.
The GUSA contract also suggests physical improvements to the Leavey Center, including better use of Hoya’s, further renovation of Sellinger Lounge and improved campus food services.
The final goal of the GUSA contract promises to improve the expression of student interests through public conversation with the student government.
