Since their election last spring, the Georgetown University Student Association administration of President Calen Angert (MSB `11) and Vice President Jason Kluger (MSB `11) has gotten off to a strong start, according to GUSA Senators.
Angert can point to concrete accomplishments such as the Saturday Safeway stop on the Rosslyn Georgetown University Transportation Service buses, the creation of an LSAT course for students, efforts to make the Career Services more proactive, reductions in event emails, and GUSA funding of a R.A.D. (Rape Aggression Defense) course.
“I have absolutely nothing poor to say about Calen and Jason,” GUSA Senator Chris Pigott (COL `12) said. “I don’t want to speak for everyone … but I personally haven’t heard anything negative from members of the Senate.”
Many of the ideas introduced by Angert and Kluger were spurred by GUSA’s survey sent out over the summer. Angert, Kluger, and their Chief of Staff Tim Swenson decided to create the survey to ensure that they pursued initiatives with broad support among students. Approximately one-sixth of the student body completed the survey.
In the survey results, students expressed very little confidence in GUSA, with 77 percent of respondents rating GUSA’s student advocacy track record as “poor.”
“Did GUSA take a beating in this survey? Yes,” Angert said. “Does it usually take beatings? Yes. Does it deserve them? Sometimes. Hopefully this survey shows the times when we can shine, and we do get work done.”
GUSA Senators and Swenson expressed an interest in improving the public image of GUSA. Senators will begin tabling in Red Square on a weekly basis to promote the organization.
“There has been a greater amount of press outreach on the part of the administration,” GUSA Senator Adam Talbot (COL `12) said. “The GUSA Senate is trying to embark on the same thing, with the reform of appropriations bylaws and the re-appropriation of senate districts.”
In the future, Agert and Kluger will focus on addressing diversity issues on Georgetown’s campus, in conjunction with the working groups commissioned by President DeGioia’s office.
Over the weekend, the Executive will be meeting with prominent student leaders on diversity issues including Student Commission for Unity Co-Chair Brian Kesten (COl `10).
While most of the prominent voices in GUSA were very positive about the Angert Administration and its accomplishments, some of them proposed alternative priorities for the future.
“Funding reform on campus is definitely one of the priorities of the Senate,” GUSA Senator Nick Troiano (COL `11) said. “We want to pick up where we left off last year and bring more accountability to the process.”
Talbot also expressed interest in addressing funding reform for student groups and working to create more space on campus for students and groups.
“I’d like to see [GUSA’s executive branch] take a closer look at the student space issue on campus. I think we could do a lot better … and I would like to see us work hard to promote the expansion of space for groups to meet,” Talbot said.
All students involved in GUSA interviewed indicated that the GUSA Senate and Executive branches possess a strong and constructive working relationship.
“From what I can tell, everyone has a lot of energy right now,” Trioano said. “We have some good momentum, and I hope we can turn this into some actual results for students.”
