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The Daily Wildcat

The Daily Wildcat

 

Student leaders set agendas for semester

ASUA and GPSC, the UA’s student governmental bodies, have a variety of goals for the year, including finding new ways to fundraise for student services and events as well as battling potential tuition and fee increases.

The Associated Students of the University of Arizona is the representative organization for the undergraduate student body. Before becoming the ASUA president, political science senior James Allen was the ASUA safety director and presidential chief of staff in addition to his involvement in Greek Life and an honorary.

Allen said he plans to continue the campaign to move Spring Fling on campus by creating an advisory board and making the first “official move” with the Campus Community Relations Committee. This, along with increased ASUA club visits and improved marketing for club workshops will help increase their revenue, according to ASUA Executive Vice President Bryan Ponton.

In order to decrease the UA’s overall cost of attendance, Allen said that he is looking to increase “two plus two” programs. This includes starting at a community college and finishing at the UA for a less expensive university experience, as well as a “hybrid class discount,” which would provide a discount for students taking both online and in-person classes. Allen also said that he will “advocate fiercely” for a minimal increase on tuition and fees.

In addition, Allen added that ASUA representatives are looking into a “reasonably priced” concert on campus, increasing graduate student and UA South collaboration, eliminating gray areas within the ASUA budget, having a philanthropy event by ASUA staff each month and increasing the number of participants for all programming events.

“We (ASUA) are your student government,” he said. “Our services should come to you.”

The Graduate and Professional Student Council is the representative organization for the graduate and professional student body. Before becoming the GPSC president, Roeland Hancock, who is pursuing his graduate degree in psychology, served a term as a representative from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. He was also involved in GPSC’s internal appropriations board as well as the Student Services Fee Advisory Board. Hancock is the husband of former GPSC President Emily Connally.

Hancock said that the main goals for GPSC this year include seeing what his constituents need in terms of health insurance. The graduate and professional health insurance contract is in its renewal process, and he plans to work with Campus Health Service to try and get a “good plan” in place for the next five years.

GPSC also plans to engage in any tuition and fee discussions that arise. In addition, he said that the council would continue to look into better childcare options on campus and try to start a fundraising program for GPSC to generate additional funding for new programs.

The first major GPSC event this academic year will be the Student Showcase. The event takes place annually on Homecoming weekend and features undergraduate and graduate student research projects. Other social events and information sessions will take place throughout the year, and Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week will occur in the spring.

“This week is always a lot of fun,” Hancock said. “It gives them (graduate and professional students) an opportunity to be recognized at the university.”

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