The University of Iowa Student Government Platform 2020-2021:

Academic Affairs

  • Create opportunities to build relationships between students and their instructors 
  • Advocate for the inclusion of mental health days in class attendance policies across campus 
  • Improve the transfer student experience by hosting networking events and resource fairs 
  • Host a scholarship fair to connect students to current financial aid opportunities   
  • Implement a tuition and financial aid education campaign  
  • Host workshops to assist students in filling out the FAFSA  
  • Work to increase online educational resources available to students 
  • Partner with the Iowa Center for Research by Undergraduates to develop a campaign to embrace and share research opportunities across all areas of study 
  • Implement a mentoring pilot program on campus and create a guide on how to expand these opportunities to all academic units 
  • Work to require that every faculty member undergoes training on diversity, equity, and inclusion before entering the classroom 
  • Advocate for the creation of experiential learning components for undergraduate students like Tippie RISE 
  • Collaborate with 1stGen@Iowa to support first-generation students in their academic and career endeavors 

External Relations 

  • Reach out and present to student organizations about USG and the services we provide 
  • Host events to gather feedback from a variety of corners on campus 
  • Bolster USG’s involvement on campus and in the community by creating an internal event and volunteer calendar 
  • Increase USG’s accessibility and transparency by hosting campus roundtables and forums 
  • Host a student leader networking night to increase collaboration between student organizations 
  • Increase communication between USG and student organizations by further developing the liaison program and creating tailored communications 
  • Encourage student leaders to attend senate by increasing advertisement and coverage of the meetings 
  • Partner with the Division of Student Life in hosting workshops on how to operate student organizations in a virtual semester 

 Governmental Relations 

  • Advocate for a statewide move-in checklist policy designed to increase transparency between renters and landlords   
  • Advocate for increased appropriations to the University of Iowa and create opportunities for all students and parents to add their voice to our advocacy 
  • Develop a social media and messaging campaign to show the impact of rising tuition  
  • Collaborate with ISU and UNI to create a unified advocacy approach to the Board of Regents and Iowa Legislature  
  • Create a legislative advisory committee designed to connect students with local state legislators 
  • Host elected officials and regents for student-led visits  
  • Encourage City Council to require new housing to match Iowa City’s 2030 sustainability goals.  
  • Advocate for adequate and affordable housing in Iowa City that reflects the needs of students 
  • Continue to survey student renting experiences to create and promote resources for off-campus living 
  • Collaborate with campus partners to create a comprehensive off-campus housing tool that is easily accessible and holds landlords accountable   
  • Coordinate with campus partners to provide voter registration opportunities and increase civic engagement among the student body 
  • Host student-focused forums with candidates and elected officials for all levels of office  
  • Ensure students have the necessary form of voter ID by promoting the temporary voter ID card and advocating that the Iowa One card be made voting-eligible  
  • Advocate for election day to be recognized as a university holiday 

 Health and Safety 

  • Require and improve mental health trainings for all faculty and staff 
  • Promote the Green Bandana Project across campus and implement a suicide awareness campaign 
  • Strengthen cultural trainings for University Counseling Service staff  
  • Create a guide to navigating off-campus mental health resources and insurance options 
  • Launch a campaign to destigmatize mental health resources and promote UCS 
  • Promote a campus-wide campaign on sexual assault prevention 
  • Educate students, faculty, and staff on responding to sexual assault disclosures 
  • Conduct a campus and city lighting audit alongside the UI Department of Public Safety and the City of Iowa City 
  • Promote the Rave Guardian app and work with ITS to include it within Hawk Tools 
  • Advocate to expand the NITE Ride program and increase advertisement of the service 
  • Advocate for Student Health to host mobile units in residence halls and other accessible campus locations 
  • Work with Student Wellness to promote their Mindfulness program that assists students in managing their stress 
  • Strengthen alcohol overdose prevention programming within Fraternity & Sorority Life and Residence Education 
  • Increase accessibility to high-quality menstrual products across campus 
  • Create a health and safety app through university Information Technology Services 
  • Execute a campus wide flu shot campaign in partnership with Student Health and UIHC 

 Sustainability 

  • Improve education on recycling and composting practices 
  • Hold landlords accountable for providing opportunities to recycle 
  • Expand the new IMU compost bins throughout the university 
  • Manage the medical waste of single-use masks 
  • Reduce single use plastic usage on campus 
  • Make composting accessible and valued throughout campus 
  • Promote the implementation of a sustainability general education requirement across colleges 
  • Review existing sustainability classes and reduce whitewashed sustainability education 
  • Expand outreach on little-known facts of sustainability 
  • Improve and promote the sustainable purchasing guide 
  • Expand advertising for the Green Initiatives Fund 
  • Expand land the use of acknowledgements on University of Iowa property 
  • Improve sustainability within overlooked communities on campus  
  • Advocate for more meatless options within dining and promote the alternatives through events like chef cook-offs 
  • Work with on-campus dining and events to reduce single use programming and to-go meals 
  • Support bicyclists of Iowa City and the transportation committee in making sustainable transportation more accessible 
  • Connect the sustainability efforts of the university with those of the city 
  • Host workshops and trainings with student organizations on how they can become more sustainable 
  • Partner with chapter leadership in revamping sustainability within Fraternity and Sorority Life 
  • Align student government’s initiatives with the university’s 2030 sustainability goals 
  • Establish biodiverse native planting practices 
  • Reduce harmful pesticide use on campus, particularly neonicotinoids 

Student Life 

  • Partner with student and community artists in expanding public art on campus 
  • Continue to promote the USG airport shuttle and improve the service 
  • Update and market the Not Being Rich @ UIowa guide 
  • Promote the use of After Class and campus events website 
  • Create online community spaces to promote socialization opportunities among students 
  • Empower student employees by hosting roundtables and other opportunities for feedback 
  • Promote basic needs resources like the Food Pantry and Clothing Closet 
  • Reform the Org Tip$ program to increase training opportunities to better serve student organization 
  • Establish a drive for graduation robes and materials 
  • Better the relationship between USG and Fraternity & Sorority Life by hosting regular meetings with council presidents 
  • Create an involvement and engagement audit to coincide a degree audit  

Internal Affairs 

  • Better USG’s transition systems 
  • Increase more collaboration between committees 
  • Assist USG members in connecting to campus and community partners by creating a contact glossary 
  • Partner with the Career Center in modernizing the USG interview process 
  • Build on the USG demographic survey and actively recruit for a more inclusive student government 
  • Maintain and develop strong relationships between senators 
  • Ensure a successful brand change across the organization 
  • Review the USG election process and audit the impact of previous changes 
  • Require NCBI (National Coalition Building Institute) trainings for all student government executives within the first semester 

 Justice and Equity 

  • Create an academic support and retention guide for first-generation students on campus 
  • Foster strong relationships between students and staff who utilize the cultural centers through events, programs, and listening sessions 
  • Advocate for more accessible gender-neutral bathrooms 
  • Push for educational opportunities surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion within major campus programs such as Orientation, On Iowa!, and Homecoming 
  • Partner with Orientation Services and International Programs in enhancing the international student orientation experience 
  • Educate domestic students on what it means to live in a global community 
  • Institute resources in Student Health to remove any language barriers 
  • Expand the translation of financial guides to include additional languages 
  • Conduct a student led accessibility audit of high trafficked facilities on campus 
  • Work with Student Disability Services in creating a guide on how to facilitate accommodations requests for students, staff, and faculty 
  • Urge the Office of Admissions to partner with LGBTQ+ high school organizations during the recruitment process 
  • Expand the Safe Zone training to faculty and staff across campus 
  • Streamline the process to report faculty and staff who commit acts of bias 
  • Advocate for the creation of a peer to peer international student mentorship program 
  • Continue the pursuit of a Black Student Support fund on campus 
  • Work with Student Life and University Counseling Services in providing healing spaces for BIPOC students, staff, and faculty 

Finance

  • Directly connect with multicultural and/or underrepresented organizations to ensure knowledge of USG funds and services 
  • Improve transparency and advertisement of USG finances and the funding process 
  • Free up funds for student organizations by supporting the “50-50 in 3-5” plan and working with current services and organizations to find outside monetary sources 
  • Hold regular USG funding meetings and workshops with student organizations across campus 
  • Increase advertisement of the Green Initiatives Fund on campus