UA launches advocacy project

"Meet the Undergraduate Assembly." That was the proposal behind yesterday night's full body meeting -- to focus efforts on improving UA member accessibility to the student body. UA member Manuel Calero, an Engineering sophomore, proposed the Program for Student Advocacy. The program would work to improve relations with the student body by having each UA member sit on Locust Walk for two hours per week to talk to students about any concerns they may have. He said last night that the program, which he and four other members helped to draw up, would serve to accomplish four important goals. "Where I want to go with this is to get back in touch with students," Calero said. "I don't want to be part of a student government viewed as a joke." The program would direct its efforts toward eliminating student apathy on campus, giving UA members respectability, making sure the UA is there for the students and "basically to get in touch with students," said Calero. The UA will also attempt to improve communications with University students by utilizing e-mail, and by putting forth a "Dinner with the UA" in the Dining Halls. According to Calero, the dinner would allow "a presence with the students...to tell us what is up." "We would use table tents to advertise it," he added. Fellow committee member Todd Sternberg praised the program's intent. "We seem distant sometimes, but they're our boss, we answer to them," said Sternberg, a Wharton sophomore. He explained that "thus far [it has been] one-on-one with students" in terms of feedback. "This should bring up much more input," Sternberg said. The majority of the UA members spoke highly of the program. "The least we can do is give two hours [on Locust Walk]," said UA member and College sophomore Seth Gribetz. And although some members expressed concern about the budgeting of their time, UA Vice Chairperson and College junior Tamara Dubowitz said the Program would be successful. "We're not going to have any trouble," she said. "There might be a little bit of moaning and groaning but in the long run, there will be shouts of excitement." Besides the Program for Student Advocacy, the start of Project 2000 committees was also discussed in a few subsequent progress reports. "I really want this to happen," said Calero, referring to the Program for Student Advocacy. "I want to part of a respectable organization," he said.