Welcome back to the university! I hope your summer was enjoyable and relaxing. It’s been too quiet on the campus without everyone here, but I have been hard at work along with other members of the Student Government Association in an effort to better our community and your experience as a Terp. Here are a few highlights:
1) The SGA, along with the Stamp Student Union administration is working on a campus-wide voter registration and get out the vote effort. Remember to register to vote in this historic election! Visit www.terpimpact. umd.edu for more information. There are some very exciting components of this project that you will see and experience over the next 60 days, so stay tuned!
2) Student safety remains a top priority of mine. In an effort to highlight all of the resources that are available to students on the campus, I have been working with Vice President of Student Affairs Linda Clement to create SafetyUMD – an interactive online toolbox that will empower students and encourage safe decisions while we are in College Park.
3) Many of you are concerned with housing availability on and off the campus, and I continue to advocate for a long-term solution. I have been working to promote private off-campus development and public financing of another building on the campus. With the recent groundbreaking of the South Campus Commons Building 7 and progress on a number of other developments, I am optimistic we are going to put this housing crisis behind us.
4) The SGA brought together student organiztions to launch Terps for the Purple Line. This coalition will support the addition of this “green” public transit line to our campus community, and ensure that students remain actively involved as the state continues its planning and study of this project. To learn more about the Purple Line, please visit the state’s website (www.bi-countytransitway.com).
5) Even in tough economic times, the SGA is fighting to maintain the affordability of education and protect important student services. This summer, we helped to organize and lead a successful effort to protect late-night study at McKeldin Library. I hope that the student body continues to remain engaged and united in the interest of bettering student life here at the university.
As this new academic year begins, the SGA is committed to being more accessible and responsive to you. We hold meetings every Wednesday at 6 p.m. in the Benjamin Banneker Room in the Student Union, and will be doing personal outreach in the dorms, academic buildings and other campus hot spots.
While I and the SGA’s other student leaders work to advocate on your behalf, we cannot do it with your help and support. Get involved by joining one of our committees, applying for a position or becoming active with another student organization. Remain actively informed about campus issues and do not hesitate to contact me or any of your other SGA representatives. Thank you for giving me the ability to serve you. I am looking forward to a great year together, and I have faith that we can make the campus a better place for all of us to live and learn.
Jonathan Sachs is the president of the SGA. He can be reached at jjsachs@umd.edu.
