Platform Part Two: Ideas

Hey everybody,

I'm feeling energetic after another busy day of campaigning. I really feel like I've been connecting more with people on campus, talking in quads and dorms about everything from Pathways to community service to more ideas about campaigning (Burning my name into the Res Quad on Election Day? Not quite an option.).

Now, I'd like to write about the second part of my three-part platform: ideas. Beyond experience, I also have the right ideas to improve student life on and off campus in the coming year. As SGA President, I will make sure that the student’s view is listened to as student life enters a period of massive change.

For one thing, Residential Life is undergoing a long overdue overhaul. For too long, our dorms have been dens in which you sleep, eat and watch television. I will make sure that the Residential life policies and structure start to transform the dorms into truly social places that encourage better living and learning for on and off-campus students. I have the vision to put student-focused ideas at the center of the department’s mission.

On and off-campus safety is another major issue for all students. Loyola plans on partnering with Tulane to provide a variety of shuttle services, including nightlife, grocery, and mall shuttles. I will make sure that these shuttles are not just used by the University as a PR move to show a concern for safety—instead, I will make sure that shuttles actually address the everyday safety of all students. Moreover, I will ensure that Loyola is proactive in transforming the other recommendations of the Safety Task Force into actual policy that makes students safer.

Thirdly, I want to improve student life by ensuring that Loyola meal plans successfully crosses over to Tulane’s dining facilities. Creating more food options creates a better sense of residential community. This initiative is already in progress, and I will make sure that it happens as quickly as possible.

I have a whole other list of ideas SGA should take on in the upcoming year—from re-examining the N.O. Arena site for graduation, to encouraging co-programming amongst groups in order to have bigger, more effective events, to creating mentoring programs for incoming freshmen by academic department.

My ideas add to my experience. They will help me make all new Loyola initiatives student-centric.

Tomorrow morning will come the final part of my platform: Engagement. I'm going to talk about how SGA needs to get students more involved in New Orleans, as well as get better student feedback. Come back and read it.