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