The Student Assembly (SA) of the Undergraduate Government of Boston College commenced the new academic year by congratulating the newly elected representatives for the Class of 2025.
“They are very enthusiastic about the job and I’m really excited to get them involved with this great work we do,” said Gianna Russi, vice president of UGBC and MCAS ’22. “I think this is a great way to start the year because we are all in person together. They are able to collaborate from the start.”
Joshua Golden, SA representative and MCAS ’25, expressed excitement over the work to be done in the next year. His main policy goal is to address food pricing.
“I don’t think slashing prices would be fair to [the BC Dining staff and their families], but I do think that the prices are a little bit unfair to the students right now,” he said.
Many of the new representatives shared other priorities. Thompson Penn, SA representative and CSOM ’25, emphasized the need to reform attitudes toward mental health services.
“The biggest thing I would like to change is the stigma around mental health,” Penn said. “Especially at Boston College, a very intense environment, we can work to decrease stress and anxiety and to increase the overall welfare of the campus.”
Elizabeth Tchako, Mei Strout, and Katie McCaffrey, all MCAS ’25, were also elected to be freshman representatives.
Existing committees within UGBC echoed some of the new representatives’ goals. The Academic Affairs Committee stated that it will be exploring the reinforcement of mental health services, citing the success of the previous year’s “check-in” system for students quarantined for COVID-19.
The committees also heavily emphasized issues relating to race and diversity. Both the Academic Affairs Committee and the Intersectionality Committee articulated a desire to revise the DiversityEdu training module, which all incoming freshmen are required to complete prior to arrival on campus.
Other ideas floated by the SA committees included a Pride Week celebration on campus, subsidizing laundry services for low-income students, and adding additional printers in residential halls.
Featured Image by Madeleine Romance / Heights Editor
