It’s been more than seven months since the Cooper Administration took office. Though it’s a little hard to believe how fast the time is flying by, we are excited about what we have accomplished so far and what we will accomplish in the next few months.
We are often asked, “So what does student government do for students?” Some projects produce results right away, while others may take a year or two to get off the ground. That’s why we have the October Report.
The October Report is our progress report. When I ran for student body president, I ran on a platform dedicated to making student government more focused, more reactive and more communicative. My first task was picking a leadership team, and working with the five executive branch officers during the past seven months has been the highest honor.
Through our various projects, as well as the projects of our committees, we have dedicated our time to making student government work for you. We expanded CCI printing to more locations; we started the Student Enrichment Fund to give students the resources they need to explore their intellectual interests; we established the Green Revolving Loan Fund to make strategic investments in energy efficient projects; and we are working with the town of Chapel Hill to implement a flat-rate taxi service.
At the same time that we have worked to improve the Carolina experience by working on-campus, we have also expanded outward with a new focus on engaging the town of Chapel Hill and the state of North Carolina. In April, we formed the student government advocacy team that focused our efforts on the state budget process, working with members of the state legislature to protect UNC’s funding.
Members of the executive branch also regularly meet with town leaders on issues of importance to the student body, and we are proud that the student body vice president now sits on Chapel Hill’s transportation board.
Besides the “big projects” described above, each of our 18 committees and special projects are working on different initiatives as well. The Public Service and Advocacy Committee, in conjunction with the Carolina Athletic Association, Carolina Fever and CUAB, has planned a viewing party for the Carrier Classic basketball game on Friday. University Services evaluated the efficiency of the residence hall check-out system, concluding that the process, in its current form, is smooth. The Speaker Series brought Robert Gibbs to campus as part of the Eve Marie Carson Lecture Series. Our projects span a wide range of interest areas, with the intention of continually improving the student experience.
This report is our midway point. We’ve accomplished a lot, but there’s still a lot more to do. Over the next five months, we will continue to work on behalf of our fellow students. If you have questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact any of us. No matter what issues arise, we’re here for you.
Co-written by Cooper and executive branch officers.
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