2014 2015
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT
ANNUAL REPORT
BEARCATS
HUNDRED E S TA B L I S H E D 1 9 1 4
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CONTENTS TITLE IX SEARCH COMMITTEE WELCOME WEEKEND PROJECT PORTAL LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
TRANSPORTATION GUIDE PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OF POLICE SEARCH COMMITTEE NATIONAL CAMPUS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
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OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING PORTAL
GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT NEW YORK TIMES PILOT PROGRAM KROGER GROCERY SHUTTLE
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GRAND CITY EXPERIMENT
ANNUAL REPORT
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UC AIRPORTRIDE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT VISITS LUNAR NEW YEAR NIGHTRIDE BEACONS STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT REVIEW COMMITTEE INNOVATION BAR TEDXUCINCINNATI PLAYDATE WITH THE BEARCATS
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#CONSENT CULTURE
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THE JUSTICE COLLABORATIVE
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FINDLAY POP-UP MARKET
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WOMEN’S CONNECT CONFERENCE LET’S MOVE! AVONDALE
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CINCINNATI SHOWCASE SG OUTREACH WEEK
ELECT HER! THE BEARCAT CENTENNIAL STUDENT GOVERNMENT AT CITY HALL #UCITSONUS LED LIGHTING #GIVINGTUESDAY
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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT
A MESSAGE FROM CHIRSTINA BEER AND SHIVAM SHAH We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve as the 2014-2015 Student Body President and Vice President. We focused our platform on opening new doors at University of Cincinnati. Student Government has had a successful year achieving many important initiatives. From LED lighting off campus, to TEDxUCincinnati, to the Justice Collaborative, and to the Bearcat Centennial, together, we have been able to work to transform the student experience. To the board members, faculty, staff, and administration, we thank you for you continued support and guidance throughout our journey. This university has reached new heights, and much of this can be attributed to the forward thinking, innovative, and thoughtful leaders we have on campus. To our fellow Student Government members, you guys rocked. You put an enormous amount of time and effort into your work. You showed passion, drive and grit. We are so proud of all of all that you achieved, and you have certainly left a lasting legacy at the University of Cincinnati. To the students at the University of Cincinnati, we thank you for letting us serve and represent you. Whether it’s in front of a large audience or in private conversations, we have fought for you and we have tried to make your
experience at UC even better. For this past year, it has been our great privilege to serve you, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors. To our family and friends, thank you for being there for us when we needed it most. You have guided, mentored, and supported us. We are so grateful to have incredible people behind us. Without you, this experience wouldn’t have been possible. We have been able to make an impact on the University of Cincinnati, and for us personally, it has been a lifechanging experience. As we start the next chapters of our lives, the lessons we have learned from this experience will propel us into our future endeavors. We will forever be Bearcats, and always call the University of Cincinnati our home. Proudly Red & Black, Christina Beer and Shivam Shah
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TITLE IX SEARCH COMMITTEE
WELCOME WEEKEND
PROJECT PORTAL
Over the summer, Christina served on the Title IX Coordinator Search Committee. Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. The Title IX Coordinator coordinates compliance with Title IX and handles inquires regarding the university’s policies. This is an extremely important position at UC, especially since sexual assault and awareness is a national conversation. Congratulations to Jyl Shaffer on being selected as the University of Cincinnati’s Title IX Coordinator!
To bring the 2014-2015 incoming class onto campus in true Bearcat spirit, Shivam, along with other members of Student Government put on its 3rd Annual Foam Dance Party in August 2014. Starting at 10:30 PM, students flooded Sigma Sigma Commons, excitement building as glow sticks lit up the crowd and various food vendors and nearby restaurants provided free samples to the attendees. President Santa Ono kicked things off with a speech followed by a fantastic fireworks show and great music, followed by a foam party. With two huge foam pits, food, fireworks, and a photo booth with Dr. Ono, this year’s Welcome Weekend event brought over a record thousand people, and was a huge success for Student Government.
The Project Portal allows any member of Student Government to “start” a project, see projects started by others, and request to join other projects. The Portal serves as a record of all projects, whether they end up being completed or stopped for one reason or another. Project members can update their projects and provide attachments and research, allowing for continuity between years to make sure no projects fall off in the year-to-year transition. The Project Portal also serves as a tool to increase accountability. Everyone can now see which projects have progressed and which have not. Currently the Project Portal has 109 unique projects. Eventually its reach will be expanded outside of Student Government in order to increase transparency to the student body at large. For now, it is a new and powerful tool that helps Student Government accomplish its mission, to improve the lives of everyday UC students.
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NATIONAL CAMPUS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
TRANSPORTATION GUIDE A one-page transportation guide was given to all freshmen during convocation so that they would have a comprehensive list and how-to guide for getting around our campus, our city, and beyond. This guide included the modes of transportation offered by the university, such as BTS and NightRide, as well as public transportation options that students can use, such as the UC*Metro Program and Mega Bus. The Transportation Guide is also posted online on Transportation Services’ website.
PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR AND CHIEF OF POLICE SEARCH COMMITTEE
Over the summer, Christina attended the National Campus Leadership Council Summit in Washington D.C. Ninety student body presidents met to collaborate on different nation-wide issues including: sexual assault prevention, student debt, financial literacy, and safety. Day 3 of the conference included a trip to the Eisenhower Building where they had the privilege of meeting with White House Staff including Tina Tchen, Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff. Christina’s biggest takeaways from the trip were a number of other initiatives to implement at UC, awareness of national issues, and connections to a number of other Student Governments at other universities.
Christina served on the extensive search committee for Public Safety Director and Chief of Police. The university had an intern director for a year an a half, so it was critical to find someone who would be dedicated to making on-campus and off-campus a safer environment for UC students. After several months, Chief Jason Goodrich was chosen to serve. Congratulations!
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#CONSENTCULTURE In partnership with RECLAIM Peer Advocates, The Women’s Center, and DAAPcares, Student Government supported and funded the #ConsentCulture campaign: an initiative to start campus-wide dialogue about healthy sex and consent and to eradicate a culture that perpetuates sexual violence. #ConsentCulture aims to bring the UC student community together to promote consensual sex, erase misconceptions, and raise awareness of the sexual assault advocacy resources available to students. During Welcome Week, over 400 students visited the #ConsentCulture table and pledged to promote sober, verbal, and ongoing consent.
GRAND CITY EXPERIMENT Last October, representatives from C-Change (a young professional’s organization housed in the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce) approached Student Government with the idea to bring together individuals from all over the city and encourage them to connect with each other through fun, daily challenges. We were enlisted to spread the movement on campus by bringing the challenges directly to students. With the help of C-Change, we picked four dates in October that we thought featured challenges the students would enjoy, such as buying each other coffee, talking about their goals, and more. We reached hundreds of students during the month and got to see them all connect with new people!
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WOMEN’S CONNECT CONFERENCE Student Government, the Women’s Center, Women in Leadership and Learning (WILL), Sigma Phi Women’s Honorary, The Lambda Society and CWEST hosted the annual Women’s CONNECT Conference. This provided first and second year women the opportunity to meet upper-class women and administration. The all-day event included speakers, activities, and of course, and opportunity to mix and mingle.
STUDENT GOVERNMENT OUTREACH WEEK STUDENT GOVERNMENT OUTREACH WEEK FREE HOT CHOCOLATE MAINSTREET 10:30-1:30PM, EVERY DAY FREE HOT CHOCOLATE MAINSTREET 10:30-1:30PM, EVERY DAY COLLEGE TRIBUNAL DAY YOUR HOME COLLEGE VARIOUS TIMES COLLEGE TRIBUNAL DAY YOUR HOME COLLEGE VARIOUS TIMES REGIONAL CAMPUS DAY UC BLUE ASH AND UC CLERMONT VARIOUS TIMES REGIONAL CAMPUS DAY
CINCINNATI SHOWCASE
LET’S MOVE! AVONDALE Let’s Move! Avondale was a community health and wellness fair, part of the Cincinnati branch of Michelle Obama’s Lets Move! Initiative. The goal was to bring together neighborhoods through a celebration of health, wellness, and an active lifestyle. This was accomplished through connecting community members with available resources and showcasing efforts of people seeking to spread the message of wellness and total health. Let’s Move! Avondale was the hard work of many people and organizations, and it is through coming together as a team we were able to accomplish such a wonderful event. Student Government provided money for supplies as well as enthusiastic volunteers and planners greatly contributing to the success of the event. A Let’s Move! UC is currently being planning to take place during Spring 2015.
Every year, the University of Cincinnati attracts a growing number of the brightest minds from across the nation, many of whom have never stepped foot in Cincinnati. This year, Public Relations Director Brooke Duncan decided to create an opportunity for any student to explore the area and learn more about the city that Bearcats call home. The Cincinnati Showcase was held on Saturday, October 25, 2014 from 1-4PM with 130 spots for students to sign up and attend. The event was targeted and advertised towards first year, out-ofstate students to take a free bus trip to Newport, Downtown & OTR to explore new sites with great company. Student Government sponsored the showcase and ten ROAR Tour Guides lead the tour. The Cincinnati Showcase will be moved to Welcome Weekend 2015 to cater towards first year students looking to explore the city
UC BLUE ASH AND UC CLERMONT VARIOUS TIMES SG TOWN HALL OPEN SENATE MEETING WITH FREE FOOD! 425 TUC TUC ATRIUM 6:00-8:00PM SG TOWN HALL OPEN SENATE MEETING 1:00-2:00PM WITH FREE FOOD! 425 TUC TUC ATRIUM 6:00-8:00PM LATE NIGHT GRILLED CHEESE 1:00-2:00PM STRATFORD PAVILION 9:00-11:00PM LATE NIGHT GRILLED CHEESE STRATFORD PAVILION 9:00-11:00PM BEARCAT CENTENNIAL TUC STEPS 11:00-1:00PM BEARCAT CENTENNIAL TUC STEPS 11:00-1:00PM
SG OUTREACH WEEK Every year, Student Government puts together a week of events in an effort to reach as many students as possible and get feedback and new ideas. This year, our efforts were focused on gaining feedback on MainStreet, connecting with students at their tribunals, and enlisting Christina and Shivam to pass out cookies in TUC. Over the course of that week, we made over one hundred gallons of hot chocolate, passed out several dozen cookies, and gained valuable feedback from tons of students. That feedback is currently being worked on and campus will love what is coming! 2014-15 ANNUAL REPORT | 9
BEARCATS
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ELECT HER! This year, UC Student Government, in partnership with the UC Women’s Center, organized its fifth annual Elect Her–Campus Women Win Conference, a program that encourages and trains college women to run for student government and future political office. Representative Denise Driehaus and Hamilton Country Clerk of Courts Tracy Winkler, along with a panel of Student Government women, shared insight on the steps and skills it takes to run and win. Three of this year’s participants won senate seats in the 2015 Student Government elections!
THE BEARCAT CENTENNIAL October 31, 2014 marked the 100th anniversary of the Bearcats mascot. Shivam worked with many other offices and students around the University to put on a large event where the grandson of the person who the mascot was named after attended and spoke. There were several hundred people in attendance, a new book scholarship was announced for those in the Bearcat mascot suit, and many other activities took place. The event received media attention as far as the Washington Post and the Associated Press. It was a great event that brought the University closer together!
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STUDENT GOVERNMENT AT CITY HALL In an effort to broaden and continue the effort made by Student Government to spread Senate’s scope beyond TUC by changing the Senate meeting location, Student Government organized a trip for the members of Senate to have a meeting at City Hall in the City Council Chambers. In addition to having a Senate meeting in the Chambers, Councilwoman Amy Murray and Mayor John Cranley came and spoke to the members of Student Government about their experiences in Student Government and local government. Moving one weekly Senate meeting downtown was well received by the senators, as many of them had never been in City Hall prior to this event. Student Government will look to continue this partnership in the future.
#UCITSONUS
LED LIGHTING
#GIVINGTUESDAY
#ItsOnUs is a national campaign to change the culture around campus sexual assault. #UCItsOnUs is the national campaign, but adapted to our University of Cincinnati community. Student Government, The News Record, RECLAIM, and the Women’s Center organized events for #UCItsOnUs. Students, faculty, staff and visitors could take the pledge to end sexual assault. There was an opportunity to get your photo taken, as well as learn about the resources available on campus. The week concluded with an extraordinary visit from Lynn Rosenthal, White House Advisor on Violence Against Women, on November 21st.
Over the past year, the University of Cincinnati and Duke Energy has partnered to install new LED lights in the off campus areas. Phase I of this project was completed, but Student Government and Student Safety Board partnered to get feedback from students and put together recommendations for Phase II. Check out the before and after!
For the second year in a row the University of Cincinnati Student Government has celebrated the national movement of #GivingTuesday. The idea behind #GivingTuesday is to give back for all the consumption that occurs on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday and to think about the less fortunate instead of ourselves for a day. As a result, UC Student Government created 200 care kits, which were donated to Matthew 25 Ministries and collected coats and about 300 pounds of canned goods that were to be donated through The Freestore Foodbank. Over two years a total of 300 care kits have been donated and close to 1000 pounds of canned goods and foods have been collected and we can only hope for more as the years go on!
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HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT VISITS
UC AIRPORTRIDE Over 220 students were given a ride to the CVG airport during the UC AirportRide’s pilot program from December 10-14. Two 15-passenger vans were used to make between eight and fifteen trips to CVG each day from the hours of 5:00am to 4:30pm. Undergraduate and Graduate student volunteers, not all of who were Student Government members, helped make the program a tremendous success so that students from all over the country and world could get home for break. Thanks to all who volunteered and to those who traveled with us!
Director of Community Service Robby Wellington took a focus on middle and high school students from surrounding neighborhoods and to give them the opportunity to witness college firsthand. The first project was bringing 30 students from the Over-the-Rhine area to a Bearcats football game at Nippert, and to meet the football team before the game. This was a great experience for all involved since almost all of the little guys love the sport but have never had the opportunity to witness it firsthand. The second project gave a group of 35 middle school students from across Cincinnati the opportunity to hang out and experience UC for a day. Several SG members to OTR to coach a basketball camp and then was followed with an actual UC day: they visited the residence halls, strolled quietly through the libraries, sat in on classes, and swiped into Center Court before wrapping up their day with front row seats to the Cats Basketball game versus Tulane. Besides the final four seconds of the basketball game, the day was a blast, and an event that surely brought a meaningful impact for all involved.
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LUNAR NEW YEAR Lunar New Year refers to the first day of the lunar calendar, an important festival in some Asian countries as an indicator of the agricultural season. This year, International Co-Directors Yue Zhao and Radhika Bhargava brought this widely celebrated event to greater heights than ever before to bring Asian students, faculty and staff together and create a sense of belongingness, as well as give everyone in the UC community a chance to learn more about Asian culture. The program included a buffet-style Asian dinner and many performances, including the Chinese Drums and traditional dance by the Bing Yang Chinese Performing Arts Center, the Sorority Stroll by Delta Phi Lambda, and music from Jones&Diamond Band, Hanwen Yang, and Carlo Tuason.
NIGHTRIDE BEACONS
TEDXUCINCINNATI
NightRide, a free transportation service for students at night, originated in Student Government as NightWalk. Today, it is a ten-van fleet that transports over 15,000 students a month. Student Government funded beacons for the top of the vans in order to speed up the time it takes for students to locate vans when they arrive. It will help cut down wait times and improve efficiency of the service.
Shivam along with another UC student have founded TEDxUCincinnati at the University of Cincinnati. The first annual TEDxUCincinnati Mainstage event was on on March 27, 2015. This was a great opportunity to spread ideas from alumni to students and professors.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT REVIEW COMMITTEE Christina and Shivam were the two representatives that served on the Student Code of Conduct Revision Committee. This included changes to reflect federal and state law. An overhaul of this magnitude has not occurred in many years and many changes and updates will be reflected. The committee will present the recommended changes in the near future.
INNOVATION BAR In an effort to make newer technology more available to students, Shivam has created the Innovation Bar. This is an area in Langsam Library where new technology such as the Oculus Rift (virtual reality), a drone helicopter, a virtual keyboard, and other technologies are available. This will fold in to the library’s overall plan for a Maker’s Space.
PLAYDATE WITH THE BEARCATS This year marked the 5th annual ‘Playdate with the Bearcats’ event, which is a family-oriented carnival featuring UC student-athletes from the football team as well as many other varsity sports. Games like cornhole, kid-friendly drills put together by UC coaches. Swimming, rock-climbing, face painting, food, and music were featured and ran by volunteers from Student Government. Playdate participants have access to amenities of the beautiful Cincinnati Rec Center, including the lazy river, rock-climbing, and basketball. Cost for the event was $15 per person or $50 per family, and a raffle of UC sports items and other gift baskets was also presented to raise money and awareness. All proceeds from Playdate go to Mitch’s Mission Organization.
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FINDLAY POP-UP MARKET
OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING PORTAL Student Government partnered with the Wellness Center to research different options for an off-campus housing portal. A vendor was selected, and the contract and building phases are in process to be completed in 2015. This new website will allow students to research housing options around campus. It will include information about each of the properties listed and safety information including inspection history and accessibility. This portal will ease the process for students to find housing.
Student Government is working to form a relationship with Findlay Market. The goal is to bring fresh produce, local goods, and artisan food to campus, in an accessible and engaging way. Student Government is planning, with the help of Findlay Market managers, to bring “pop-up” markets to McMicken Commons during the late spring. After this initial trial with the pop-up markets, Student Government will evaluate the effectiveness of the event, and look to the fall for a continued partnership with Findlay Market. The long-term goal of this project is to bring Findlay Market biweekly to campus in an effort to provide students with high quality and healthy food options.
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THE JUSTICE COLLABORATIVE The Justice Collaborative was a task force assembled by Vice President Shah to further address issues on social justice and injustice. The task force included members of the University of Cincinnati community that are leaders in various organizations across campus. For the first event, the Justice Collaborative partnered with Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Rob Robert Richardson to put together a panel of activists of which the Collaborative also had representation on. The discussion was in regards to race reform and the social justice system and was a well attended event. The Justice Collaborative will continue facilitating more vocal discussions in various ways with Student Government and students across campus on social ‘hot button’ issues.
GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
KROGER GROCERY SHUTTLE
On March 30th, the Governmental Affairs Committee hosted the Annual Governmental Leadership Summit. Members from the Ohio Senate and House of Representatives, City Council staff members, community members, UC administrators and students were all in attendance. The thematic focus for this year’s summit was on success and innovation in Cincinnati and at UC, and how Cincinnati and UC are both on an upward trend. Leaders from a number of different communities came together to connect and share ideas so that we can continue to grow and transform our city and university.
As early as the summer of 2015 the Kroger next to campus will temporarily close as it undergoes vast renovations. This grocery store is a vital part of Clifton for both the permanent residents as well as the students at the University of Cincinnati due to its close proximity to the West Campus. Christina and student Trenton Pfister secured funding to establish an additional route to the Bearcat Transportation System. As soon as the renovations begin, there will be a shuttle to take students to the Kroger location on Kenard Avenue. The Kroger Grocery Shuttle will operate over the weekend and will most likely include pickup locations at Stratford Heights, Calhoun/Siddall, and the Turner Circle.
NEW YORK TIMES PILOT PROGRAM During spring semester, the University of Cincinnati Student Government approved a bill to fund and pilot The New York Times, Academic Pass Program. This is an eight-week digital program to generate interest in free news media available for all students. The hope is to generate data from the usage to have the University possibly fund such a program if students use I regularly. The academic passes are easy to access, and have been relayed to students over social media and on the Student Government website and Blackboard in hopes to reach all students.
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