STORY BY KATE HAVENS
Last week, Student Senate welcomed the Executive Director of the National Campus Leadership Council, Andy MacCracken.
The purpose of the National Campus Leadership Council is to bring together student body presidents and other student leaders to tackle issues prevalent on college campuses. The Council focuses on three major areas: college affordability, mental health and sexual assault.
Currently, the Council is helping to launch the national “It’s on Us” campaign to spread awareness about sexual assault.
“It’s On Us” is creating a unique collaboration between companies like NASCAR, GQ magazine and MTV to create cultural change. There is a greater focus on men becoming more involved in initiatives about sexual assault.
Student body president, Joey Gale, is one such man involved.
“We definitely need your help,” MacCracken said. “We’re working a lot with Joey on these issues, but we definitely hope that this something that you all can pick up. We definitely can’t do it alone.”
Students can expect different efforts and initiatives the Senate will create to raise awareness such as the upcoming National Week of Action.
MacCracken reminded the Senate that raising awareness can help college affordability, mental health and sexual assault issues.
“It’s awareness and cultural issues we need to tackle,” MacCracken said.
In other news, Senate confirmed the approval of the Student College of Clinical Pharmacy.
This organization will act as a student chapter of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Different than other pharmaceutical organizations, SCCP focuses on the clinical pharmacy realm, or the science- based practice of pharmacy.
Currently, no other groups on campus are specified in this area. Fifth-year pharmacy student and president of SCCP, Mike Buege, represented the organization at the Senate meeting.
“This niche in pharmacy does not currently have representation at Drake,” Buege said. “It’s sort of been lumped in with other organizations.”
SCCP will meet a need on campus, because a large number of Drake pharmacy students intend to pursue clinical pharmacy. Through SCCP, students will have access to more information and career opportunities within this field.
“What we’re doing to benefit pharmacy students here, as well as other students, is essentially familiarizing students with research and clinical practice processes,” Buege said.
SCCP currently has 45 members, which makes it the fourth-largest pharmacy organization on campus.
The organization has plans for future events and opportunities, such as a potential visit from the former president of St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. Membership is open to all students in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Aside from involvement with the National Campus Leadership Council and the Student College of Clinical Pharmacy, Senate is still working through its goals.
“We are now at 16 goals out of the Senate 60 completed,” Gale said.
As most students know, the Senate 60 is a list of 60 goals, ideas, projects and initiatives that Senate is planning to accomplish this year. Only 44 more goals to go.
