STORY BY JOEY GALE
Back in May, I took the Oath of Office for the Student Body President at Drake University. Roughly a 100 academic days later, I can confidently say we’ve accomplished a great deal, but still have a ways to go.
According to the Wikipedia definition, the First Hundred Days “is a sample of the first 100 days of a first term of a president during their term.” The term, originally coined by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, is a benchmark for success and accomplishments during a president’s term. While I do want to focus on what has gone well, I want to focus on what still needs to be done.
Accomplishments have come in many shapes and sizes this year. I consider the creation of the Senate 60 to be our biggest accomplishment this year. The Senate 60 is a dynamic list of specific and time bound goals created directly with student input to better the Drake experience. This list of projects, goals and initiatives has been the framework to our success thus far. Below is a list of our accomplishments (in no specific order):
•?Two-ply toilet paper is available across most of campus.
•?We’re actively working to increase collaboration between students organizations.
•?We’ve established the Crucial Conversation Series, a goal I campaigned on.
•?We are making progress on a centralized campus calendar.
•?Our Academic Affairs senator, Olivia O’Hea, hosted the Academic Affair Dinner.
•?We reformed our referendum process.
•?We updated and drafted new bylaws to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
•?We are working to increase the awareness of Rave Guardian App.
•?A Debunking Drake Myths video will be shared with students soon.
•?Our work towards becoming a Top 20 LGBT friendly college has been successful.
•?We are reviewing our campus readership program to go online
•?We purchased laptop chargers for students to check out in the Library.
I am very proud of the progress we have made as a team so far this semester. There’s not doubt the level of determination and action-oriented focus is what’s been our key ingredient.
I am confident we will reach all of our 60 goals, whether it be investigating them or fully carrying them out. In short, the first 100 days have been positive and actionable.
