Simply being relevant to students tops the to-do list for this year's Undergraduate Assembly. With its first meeting yesterday, the UA rolled out an ambitious plan to revamp both its tasks and direction for the year. Its members are looking to increase the number of tangible projects they work on this year. The UA is the umbrella organization for all of student government, dispensing thousands of University dollars both to itself and the other branches of government. This year the UA has five committees dedicated to finding out what students want and working to make them happen, according to UA Executive Vice Chairwoman and College junior Sarah Abroms. But for all its planning, the UA's calculations for the year hinge on one indispensable, and somewhat elusive, component - getting students to care. "Honestly, I know they do stuff," said Engineering senior Rod Afshar. "But beyond that, I don't really know what programs they do."
n Student Life Committee Priorities for this committee include revamping dining options on campus and rolling out the free music-downloading service Ruckus. Committee members are also considering a new service for Penn students called Mobile Campus, which can deliver club and University announcements - as well as coupons for local businesses - via text-message. n Housing Committee Covering both on- and off-campus housing, this committee is primarily focused on freshmen this year. "We're concerned with the 'freshman experience,'" UA Chairman and Wharton senior Brett Thalmann said. "Where freshmen are allocated, what resources are given them." The committee will also work with administrators to ease next year's freshmen into 'clusters' of no more than 25 throughout Penn's college houses. This means that college houses notorious for their lack of freshmen - such as the high-rises - will see entire floors nearly dedicated to freshmen. n Education Committee The Education Committee will focus on study-abroad options for undergraduates. They're hoping to tackle some of the policies that may make international study more difficult. "Why should [students] have to pay full tuition for study abroad when tuition [at the school abroad] may be a quarter of Penn's?" Thalmann said. n Facilities and Campus Planning This group's priority will be to "try and get student input on what types of stores and restaurants [students want] for the 3900 block" of Walnut Street, Thalmann said. The shops currently housed there will be torn down in the coming months to make way for University-owned housing and retail options.
