State of the Yoonjin
I first want to once again welcome the Class of 2017 (and any exchange or transfer students) to Rice University. For all returning students: Can you believe how fast the summer flew by? I feel like just yesterday I was packing up my boxes to leave campus - yet somehow Orientation Week has already ended and classes are kicking off. I'm excited for this year for many reasons, especially because this year is so important in taking the first steps to truly mold and shape Rice's second century. The Centennial has officially passed, and we need to step up as a community and take charge of our student vision for these next 100 years.
We have seen a lot of changes over the past few months in response to student advocacy. From new computers in Fondren Library to the creation of a Student Wellbeing Office, the Student Association has seen many concerns addressed both efficiently and effectively. We secured space for entrepreneurship on campus and are kicking off an assessment of student-life space to continue pushing for a new student center. We will carry on projects related to campus resources into this next year, while also exploring a broad range of other topics.
A previously tabled discussion regarding the flexibility to drop classes will be incorporated into a broader academic conversation about various aspects of the undergraduate curriculum. We will be following up with a campus safety assessment as well as ensuring environmental projects that were previously funded through the Rice Endowment for Sustainable Energy Technology will still be viable. However, we still want to be proactive in identifying initiatives as we move into the new year. As the year progresses, please reach out to your college senators with your concerns.
I envision a Student Association that works together - all of us, not just elected and appointed officers - to advocate for our priorities. I would love to see task forces composed of "concerned citizens" who have a stake in the conversations that occur. True collaboration between students can only contribute to the collaboration between the students and the administration, staff and faculty. To do this, our student body needs to be passionate
and dedicated.
All in all, I am incredibly excited to see what this year will hold. I cannot wait to welcome our 44 new student representatives as they are selected over the next few weeks. (Quick plug: sa.rice.edu/nsrs for information and the application.) I plan to use the "State of the Yoonjin" from time to time to update the student body on current initiatives and provide more color to different happenings on campus.
Yoonjin Min is president of the Student
Association and a Jones College senior.
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