This semester seemed to be one of highs and lows. Most crime numbers are down, and the city has finally gotten moving on beefing up police presence, but the campus eclipsed its 11-year high of robberies in the past week. The Athletics Department saw two of its teams win championships while at the same time facing a football-player-versus-bouncer brawl in Cornerstone that turned into a public guessing game.
After an excruciatingly slow start from the University Senate, members managed to pass two of the most contested proposals in recent history, approving moves to incorporate plus/minus grading into GPAs and to administer uniform, online professor evaluations, the results of which can be accessed by students. Though SGA President Andrew Rose has largely stuck to his mantra of invisibly “working hard,” he proved he does have the gumption to stand up for student interests when he and other student leaders faced the Board of Regents to express concerns with tightening the riot policy.
To perhaps have more highs and fewer lows in the spring, below are some wise New Year’s resolutions:
– The University Senate and administrators should work quickly to ensure it doesn’t take another five years to get the recently passed proposals in working order and to tackle some of the other pressing issues.
– Andrew Rose should make student voices heard in Annapolis as action picks up. Maryland Gov. Robert Ehrlich’s recently announced spending allocation was promising for the university, but the students need a leader to follow in making sure there is a public push for their interests. There is still an entire semester to become a visible leader for the undergraduate student body.
– David Allen should realize that by opening Shuttle-UM to non-students, he would be consenting to a plan for which there are no guarantees. No matter how much safety is promised, there is no way to ensure it would be maintained. If so few city residents would be interested in using the bus system that it would be safe and painless, it isn’t worth opening it up at all. What’s best for the campus is keeping Shuttle-UM what it was meant to be – a service explicitly for students.
– While SEE’s first attempt in recent history to use a promoter to draw acts fell flat on its face, the group should continue to build relationships with promoters that could pan out in the future. This campus is overdue for a real crowd pleaser.
– After a narrow passage of the police referendum in November’s city election, the council has taken the first baby steps toward increasing city policing. Instead of spending $10,000 plus on getting access to university buses, they should store that money away for the police efforts and aim to have something in place by this time next year.
