by Myles Goldman
Editors Note: This story was edited on Friday, January 25th to reflect the University's response to the SA proposal. Initially, the University could not be reached for comment.
The Student Association on Thursday officially released a new student space proposal designed to advance dialogue with the University on how to improve the student life experience at GW. The plan titled, "Student Association Spring Report: Long Term Commitment to Student Space" is the second proposal Student Association President Ashwin Narla has led during his nearly 9 months as President.
The eight page report focuses on two areas on campus to be developed for student space, the Marvin Center 3rd floor outdoor terrace and the basement of the Square 77 project, which is informally known to many as the "Super-dorm construction project.". In the case of the Marvin Center 3rd floor terrace the proposal specifically calls for the terrace to be renovated to allow for either a specific GW coffee store or a Starbucks, a graduate student lounge, meeting rooms for student organizations that would be built in a way that they could also be used for study rooms, and that access to the renovated space be 24/7 to students.
As for Square 77, which is where the University intends to replace Crawford, Schenley, and West End residence halls with a twelve-story dorm housing freshmen and sophomores, the proposal calls for the 60,000 square foot basement of the new building to be student space and possibly include more dinning options, the relocation of Student Health Services, which is currently located on K Street, and student lounges. Additionally, the proposal requests there be a student present at each of the planning meetings for the new building.
The SA's proposal is a follow-up to the one they published in the early portion of the fall semester. The first proposal included ten recommendations the SA suggested to increase student space. Although the University took one of the suggestions in October and extended the hours Duques and Funger hall are open for students to study-in, GW did little to respond to the other suggestions. In the cover letter of the proposal, Narla and Vice President Abby Bergren hope the new proposal will be able to move the discussion of student space on campus forward after they spent additional time researching student space efforts at "market basket" schools such as Boston University, New York University, and Tulane University.
The SA will now spend the next two weeks working to gain support from students for the plan. The marketing plan for the proposal includes circulating a petition around campus asking students to sign that they support the plan, SA leaders meeting with Student organizations to talk about the plan, and the launch of a website: www.gwstudentspace.org, which talks about the plan, includes a copy of the plan, and gives students the opportunity to sign the petition.
On January 31st from 12-2pm the SA will host a rally in Kogan plaza for the plan with free food from Jetties, music, and an opportunity to sign the petition.
After February 6th, the petition will close and Narla plans to bring it with him when he meets with the Board of Trustees at their February meeting on February 7th and 8th.
It's not clear how many signatures the SA hopes to obtain from the student body. One member of the SA said a target number had not been decided while another is telling student organizations that the SA's goal is to obtain 5,000 signatures.
On Friday University Spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard issued the following response on behalf of the University to the SA proposal.
"We continually work with student leaders to make improvements to the student experience on our campuses. We will carefully review the Student Association Spring Report. And, we'll continue to engage in dialogue with the Student Association, other student leaders, faculty, and philanthropic contributors to the university regarding further investments in the student experience including our physical facilities," Sherrard said.
Narla is optimistic he will be able to work with University officials to make the proposal possible.
"They were very helpful [in regards to the first proposal] and I think they will be helpful on the second proposal," he said.
The entire proposal can be found at: www.gwstudentspace.org.
This is the Old WRGW District Radio News website. As of January 13th, 2014 all of the latest GW and local DC news can be found on our brand new website at: www.wrgwnews.com!
Showing posts with label Abby Bergren. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Abby Bergren. Show all posts
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Thursday, September 13, 2012
First SA Meeting of the Year Focuses on Goals and Confirmations
by Myles Goldman
The student Association held its first meeting Monday night, focused on its plans for the year ahead.
Student Association President Ashwin Narla told SA Senators that the three issues he and Vice President Abby Bergren decided to focus on this year were Student Space, student wellness, and working with the External Relations Department to create an online calendar where student organizations would be able to publicize their events. Narla told Senators he would continue the work of his predecessors and work to reduce student fees.
One of Narla's major solutions to the student space issue that was heavily discussed in last year's SA election, is to work with Administrators to grant 24-hour access to more academic buildings on campus.
Other priorities of the new SA Executive Leadership team of Narla and Bergren include securing free HIV testing for students and expanding the Lerner Health and Wellness' hours.
Later in the meeting, the last two positions of Narla’s cabinet were filled when last year’s SA Presidential runner-up John Bennett was confirmed by Senators for VP of Financial Affairs and Larisa Ozeryansky was confirmed as VP of Graduate Student Affairs. Narla last spring had originally nominated candidates for both these positions and both those candidates were not confirmed.
"I took your advice and went back and found a Graduate Student," Narla sai, referring to his nomination of Ozeryansky.
With Student Organization Financial allocations happening in a few weeks, SA Finance Chair Alex Mizenko wanted all student organizations to know that with 50 additional groups asking for money this year and the amount of money raised from the student Association Fee stagnant, the SA has less money to give to organizations. He also said that based on Student Association by-laws, the SA can only give up to 85% of the money they have. Mizenko did reassure students that he intends to go right up to this cap.
"Students paid into the [Student Association] fee this year and the money therefore should be used this year," Mizenko said after the meeting.
The SA’s Student Organization Allocations meeting will be on Monday, October 1st. The next General Body SA Senate Meeting will be on Monday, September 24th.
The student Association held its first meeting Monday night, focused on its plans for the year ahead.
Student Association President Ashwin Narla told SA Senators that the three issues he and Vice President Abby Bergren decided to focus on this year were Student Space, student wellness, and working with the External Relations Department to create an online calendar where student organizations would be able to publicize their events. Narla told Senators he would continue the work of his predecessors and work to reduce student fees.
One of Narla's major solutions to the student space issue that was heavily discussed in last year's SA election, is to work with Administrators to grant 24-hour access to more academic buildings on campus.
Other priorities of the new SA Executive Leadership team of Narla and Bergren include securing free HIV testing for students and expanding the Lerner Health and Wellness' hours.
Later in the meeting, the last two positions of Narla’s cabinet were filled when last year’s SA Presidential runner-up John Bennett was confirmed by Senators for VP of Financial Affairs and Larisa Ozeryansky was confirmed as VP of Graduate Student Affairs. Narla last spring had originally nominated candidates for both these positions and both those candidates were not confirmed.
"I took your advice and went back and found a Graduate Student," Narla sai, referring to his nomination of Ozeryansky.
With Student Organization Financial allocations happening in a few weeks, SA Finance Chair Alex Mizenko wanted all student organizations to know that with 50 additional groups asking for money this year and the amount of money raised from the student Association Fee stagnant, the SA has less money to give to organizations. He also said that based on Student Association by-laws, the SA can only give up to 85% of the money they have. Mizenko did reassure students that he intends to go right up to this cap.
"Students paid into the [Student Association] fee this year and the money therefore should be used this year," Mizenko said after the meeting.
The SA’s Student Organization Allocations meeting will be on Monday, October 1st. The next General Body SA Senate Meeting will be on Monday, September 24th.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Candidates Discuss Hot-Button Issues at SA Student Media Debate
The eight candidates for the top two Student Association posts debated last night in the 5th annual Student Media Debate. Five candidates for President and three for EVP discussed their platforms and qualifications in front of a crowd of supporters, student media members, current SA leaders and administrators.
Two separate debates were held in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom starting with the Executive Vice President Debate. The three candidates on stage in the EVP debate were Abby Bergren, Austin Brewster and Ben Leighton. The three candidates spent the half-hour debate fielding questions from a panel of three student Media journalists: WRGW News Director Joseph Rabinowitz, The Hatchet's Sarah Ferris, and GWTV's Eugenia Finizio with Hatchet Editor-in-Chief Lauren French moderating. The questions ranged on issues about how the candidates would use their role as leader of the Senate to foster cohesiveness in the governing body, to how the candidates would work with administrators on student space issues and the Gelman Library renovations.
In regards to the issue of reforming the senate and improving its cohesiveness, Bergren suggested that she would hold workshops that taught senators how to propose stronger senate bills, while Brewster suggested that the senate needed to do a better job of effectively communicating with the student body as a whole. Leighton responded to the question by explaining that his first priority as EVP would be to meet one-on-one with individual Senators and understand how their goals could be fit into the overall agenda of the Senate.
When discussing the renovations to Gelman Library, Leighton discussed wanting to expand student space on the third floor and changing the furniture in the library. Brewster commented that his focus on the Gelman renovation's would be geared toward using extra space to house the tutoring initiative all in one location. Bergren said that her biggest concern was that with the renovations going on, students would not have enough space to study and collaborate. Her solution is to work with the individual schools to make sure larger areas were open to students at longer hours of the day.
Brewster was specifically questioned at one point in the debate about how he could be held accountable since his platform doesn't contain any measurable goals. Brewster responded that his solution to this is to make himself as accessible as possible.
The Presidential candidates took the stage next. All of the candidates were wearing suits and ties except for Ben Pincus, who sported a purple plaid shirt. Jeremy Iloulian immediately took a subtle dig at John Bennett by acknowledging all of his opponents except the former SA Finance Chair.
The candidates began by explaining how their backgrounds prepared them to be President of the SA. Iloulian claimed he was the only candidate on stage with the experience of running a large student organization as the chair of the International Affairs Society. Will Thompson centered his opening remarks on his three platform issues: lowering textbook expenses, student safety and the career center. John Bennett spoke about how his experience as an SA Senator the past two years, including this year as an Undergraduate at-large Senator, "gave him an edge" over his opponents and a better understanding of how the SA works.
Pincus discussed the need for more transparency in the SA, a common argument in many of his answers. Pincus said he believes the SA does not currently have an effect on the lives of everyday students and that more transparency is the only solution. He talked about the need for a list-serve which he would use to communicate with the leaders of student organizations.
Ashwin Narla also spent a large part of the evening discussing how fostering relationships with students through community outreach was the key to solving issues like student space. He said there need to be both short and long-term goals in regards to the student space issue.
Thompson, and Bennett are both focusing on the renovation of the 4th floor of the Marvin Center as the key to regaining student space. Meanwhile, Iloulian's solution to the student space issue is to lobby administrators. He proposed that a certain percentage of every new building erected should go towards student space.
When questioned about what they would want next year's finance chair to do, each of the candidates except Bennett had a chance to talk about their plan for how student organizations should be funded. Narla discussed how he wanted the finance chair to communicate more with student organizations, while Pincus discussed how he wanted the process to extend for a longer period of time in order to allow organizations to receive more detailed explanations for the funding they received. Iloulian wants more focus paid to how student organizations access funding once the SA has allocated for it rather than the finance process itself. Thompson would add more staff members to the Finance Committee in order to expedite the finance request process.
Bennett was then given an opportunity to respond. He discussed how he has met personally with over 80 student organization leaders this year.
"There has been unprecedented levels of communication this year," Bennett said, "As for the organizations who are unhappy about funding, all you had to do was ask."
The last half-hour of the debate featured questions from the audience. Former Presidential candidate Josh Benjamin asked each of the candidates to tell the audience how much they had spent on their campaigns. Thompson spent $830, Bennett spent $975, Iloulian spent $800, Narla spent $920 and Pincus says he spent $56.25, further highlighting his outsider credentials.
The candidates became a bit less cordial to each other in the closing statements. Narla mentioned that he would work to improve student financing. He claimed that the Black Student Union did not receive the funding they needed to put on one of their events, and under his watch this wouldn't happen. Bennett maintained a look of surprise and bewilderment throughout the attacks.
Thompson, whose closing statement came after Bennett's, delivered the biggest attack line of the night.
"The only thing the finance chair has prepared you to do, John, is be finance chair," Thompson said in a slightly unsteady voice, splitting his gaze between Bennett and the audience.
Bennett was then given an opportunity to respond. He said that based on Thompson's logic, John Richardson, the current SA President, would have only been prepared to be an outsider when he ran as a candidate from outside the student Association.
Voting began today and continues tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. online. Students can vote at the JEC's website.
More information about all the candidates running for SA positions can be found at http://www.chooseyourgw.com.
Two separate debates were held in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom starting with the Executive Vice President Debate. The three candidates on stage in the EVP debate were Abby Bergren, Austin Brewster and Ben Leighton. The three candidates spent the half-hour debate fielding questions from a panel of three student Media journalists: WRGW News Director Joseph Rabinowitz, The Hatchet's Sarah Ferris, and GWTV's Eugenia Finizio with Hatchet Editor-in-Chief Lauren French moderating. The questions ranged on issues about how the candidates would use their role as leader of the Senate to foster cohesiveness in the governing body, to how the candidates would work with administrators on student space issues and the Gelman Library renovations.
In regards to the issue of reforming the senate and improving its cohesiveness, Bergren suggested that she would hold workshops that taught senators how to propose stronger senate bills, while Brewster suggested that the senate needed to do a better job of effectively communicating with the student body as a whole. Leighton responded to the question by explaining that his first priority as EVP would be to meet one-on-one with individual Senators and understand how their goals could be fit into the overall agenda of the Senate.
When discussing the renovations to Gelman Library, Leighton discussed wanting to expand student space on the third floor and changing the furniture in the library. Brewster commented that his focus on the Gelman renovation's would be geared toward using extra space to house the tutoring initiative all in one location. Bergren said that her biggest concern was that with the renovations going on, students would not have enough space to study and collaborate. Her solution is to work with the individual schools to make sure larger areas were open to students at longer hours of the day.
Brewster was specifically questioned at one point in the debate about how he could be held accountable since his platform doesn't contain any measurable goals. Brewster responded that his solution to this is to make himself as accessible as possible.
The Presidential candidates took the stage next. All of the candidates were wearing suits and ties except for Ben Pincus, who sported a purple plaid shirt. Jeremy Iloulian immediately took a subtle dig at John Bennett by acknowledging all of his opponents except the former SA Finance Chair.
The candidates began by explaining how their backgrounds prepared them to be President of the SA. Iloulian claimed he was the only candidate on stage with the experience of running a large student organization as the chair of the International Affairs Society. Will Thompson centered his opening remarks on his three platform issues: lowering textbook expenses, student safety and the career center. John Bennett spoke about how his experience as an SA Senator the past two years, including this year as an Undergraduate at-large Senator, "gave him an edge" over his opponents and a better understanding of how the SA works.
Pincus discussed the need for more transparency in the SA, a common argument in many of his answers. Pincus said he believes the SA does not currently have an effect on the lives of everyday students and that more transparency is the only solution. He talked about the need for a list-serve which he would use to communicate with the leaders of student organizations.
Ashwin Narla also spent a large part of the evening discussing how fostering relationships with students through community outreach was the key to solving issues like student space. He said there need to be both short and long-term goals in regards to the student space issue.
Thompson, and Bennett are both focusing on the renovation of the 4th floor of the Marvin Center as the key to regaining student space. Meanwhile, Iloulian's solution to the student space issue is to lobby administrators. He proposed that a certain percentage of every new building erected should go towards student space.
When questioned about what they would want next year's finance chair to do, each of the candidates except Bennett had a chance to talk about their plan for how student organizations should be funded. Narla discussed how he wanted the finance chair to communicate more with student organizations, while Pincus discussed how he wanted the process to extend for a longer period of time in order to allow organizations to receive more detailed explanations for the funding they received. Iloulian wants more focus paid to how student organizations access funding once the SA has allocated for it rather than the finance process itself. Thompson would add more staff members to the Finance Committee in order to expedite the finance request process.
Bennett was then given an opportunity to respond. He discussed how he has met personally with over 80 student organization leaders this year.
"There has been unprecedented levels of communication this year," Bennett said, "As for the organizations who are unhappy about funding, all you had to do was ask."
The last half-hour of the debate featured questions from the audience. Former Presidential candidate Josh Benjamin asked each of the candidates to tell the audience how much they had spent on their campaigns. Thompson spent $830, Bennett spent $975, Iloulian spent $800, Narla spent $920 and Pincus says he spent $56.25, further highlighting his outsider credentials.
The candidates became a bit less cordial to each other in the closing statements. Narla mentioned that he would work to improve student financing. He claimed that the Black Student Union did not receive the funding they needed to put on one of their events, and under his watch this wouldn't happen. Bennett maintained a look of surprise and bewilderment throughout the attacks.
Thompson, whose closing statement came after Bennett's, delivered the biggest attack line of the night.
"The only thing the finance chair has prepared you to do, John, is be finance chair," Thompson said in a slightly unsteady voice, splitting his gaze between Bennett and the audience.
Bennett was then given an opportunity to respond. He said that based on Thompson's logic, John Richardson, the current SA President, would have only been prepared to be an outsider when he ran as a candidate from outside the student Association.
Voting began today and continues tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. online. Students can vote at the JEC's website.
More information about all the candidates running for SA positions can be found at http://www.chooseyourgw.com.
2012 Student Media SA Debate
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