By Kassondra Granata
President Jack Miller and Dr. Laura Tordenti, vice president of student affairs, visited the Student Government Association last Wednesday with their proposal on a community action plan.
“We wanted to design a plan that has a variety of strategies in it. We want to be proactive and have positive activities,” said Tordenti. “We want to help our students stay safe and healthy as well as we want to build a positive community relationship.”
Tordenti hoped to present the plan to the senate and gain back their contribution and suggestions towards this subject.
Tordenti focused on three specific sections during her presentation: education and intervention, enforcement and community outreach.
In the Education aspect, Tordenti proposed to reinforce the efforts towards that Alcohol Education and Prevention course. Tordenti introduced the proposition of a tracking system of those who have had issues with drugs or alcohol in the past with the law. Another idea mentioned was to have head officials meet with students who have had difficulty with alcohol and drugs and serve as an intervention program for them.
On the subject of orientation for new incoming freshman, Tordenti proposed that the CCSU police and the New Britain police come and show their drastic contribution to the safety on campus.
“We want parents to know that this is a safe place on campus as well as off and we will do our best to keep it that way,” Tordenti said.
Todenti also wants to make a “social norms” campaign that demonstrates the positive behaviors of students on campus rather than the negative.
Tordenti stressed community outreach, saying she would like a lot of energy and activity around campus by organizing activities that will reach to the communities surrounding campus as well.
Miller was in agreement to the community outreach campaign and was assured that SGA could get this done.
“I think there are many good things going on,” Miller said. “Part of this is us developing a campaign where we make sure the other people in the neighborhood who don’t live next door to other students get the picture.”
Miller then proposed a campaign called the “New Good Neighbor Approach” where the community on campus would reach out to the surrounding neighborhoods in order to form a solid, positive relationship.
“I think this has a lot of potential,” Miller said.
After the presentation, the senate brought back ideas from the Conference on Student Government Associations in order to find ways where they can bring commercial and media attention on campus towards the SGA.
Sen. Ashley Foy presented a website that can be used by students completely free. Myedu.com gives students the opportunity to see teacher reviews, manage their work load and further organize their way to success. Students can also compare textbook prices and see what books are required for class. Foy’s idea was for the SGA to form a partnership with the website that would market the SGA on the homepage when a student signs up.
Sen. Ryan Baldassario proposed a plan of making a point system that would reward students for going to programs or joining certain clubs. Students would be given points on their blue chip cards. When one’s points are tallied up, they can win prizes and other rewards. Baldassario hopes that doing so will promote more student activity on campus.
