Senate Initiatives

I started the Student Transit Advisory Council last semester, and this year I plan to gauge whether or not students want a new UMBC Transit route. Additionally, I hope to coordinate on parking issues this year, as I know this is an issue that is on the minds of almost all UMBC students. I will also be working on an initiative to update academic policy so that professors are required to display cumulative grades on Black Board for the entire semester. We need to know what our grades are in order to achieve our academic goals!

My initiative is focused on providing free menstrual products across campus to ensure that all female students have access to essential hygiene items. I also organize “Love your Body Day” each spring semester, an event that promotes education about menstrual and overall women’s health. The event includes fun activities, free food, and prizes to encourage participation and awareness. Through this initiative, I aim to reduce stigma, promote health equity, and create a more supportive campus environment for everyone.

My initiative focuses on making each building accessible to every disabled individual.
We have noticed numerous broken accessibility doors. So right now I am focusing on
documenting which doors on campus needs to be fixed so all students have their accessible
needs.

My goal in senate is to improve sustainability on campus and bring together UMBC’s
various sustainability groups. Currently, I am working with a student on a reusable utensils
initiative. I’m also interested in expanding the garden space, creating on-campus composting,
planting more natives, and removing invasive plants.

My first initiative focused on revitalizing and expanding the campus orchard (The
Food Forest), as it is currently a bit neglected and not producing much fruit. To get this project
started I hosted the Food Forest Clean Up Event on October 24th 12-2pm with the support of Campus Green Orgs. Now, the Sustainability Center and Retriever Essentials, with the support of Facilities Management, are working on grant applications to fund the Food Forest expansion.
My second initiative is focusing on how community members can support each other and be
prepared in the case that ICE shows up on campus. Specifically, creating safe spaces, training,
and strategies, so the UMBC community can feel more empowered and prepared.

My initiative focuses on expanding mental health awareness and support at UMBC by creating accessible training opportunities for students. The goal is to equip students with the
skills to recognize signs of distress, respond effectively, and connect peers with appropriate
resources, and foster a more compassionate and informed campus community.

My initiative is focused on improving bathroom signage in buildings across campus, as
it is a major concern raised by students. Many students have expressed their concerns of not
being able to find bathrooms in buildings, especially older ones. I would like to make the signs larger and clearer, and potentially place directional arrows in the hallways. I would also like to make bathroom directions accessible for students with disabilities by adding braille, etc.

Our initiative is focused on helping promote and enhance Retriever Essentials, the free food pantry here on campus. Our goals are to expand food access to our community members to ensure that each student has what they need to succeed at UMBC,
ultimately eliminating food insecurity here on campus. 🙂

My initiatives focus on improving UMBC Dining to be more catered to student’s
feedback. I’ve recently spread out a dining poll, and decided these initiatives based on its
results. First, I will introduce a “Healthy Protein Dessert Corner” at True Grits. Second, I’ll work
on “Increasing Dining Options for Commuters.” This could mean partnering with Grubhub to let students use meal swipes and get free delivery, or teaming up with Chartwells to swap out and popular menu items for healthier, more appealing choices as a monthly event.

My initiative focuses on improving support for international students on campus. The
initiative seeks to create a survey to gather input directly from international students about the
primary challenges they face in achieving academic and personal success at UMBC. The initiative also proposes establishing an International Student Representative to serve as a dedicated liaison, ensuring that international students’ concerns and needs are heard and
addressed in university decision-making.

My initiative focuses on introducing napping pods to UMBC’s campus. Since UMBC is a highly academic environment, many students have early morning classes and late-day commitments, leaving them with little time to prioritize their mental health or physical well-being. As a result, many resort to napping in unsafe or uncomfortable spots around campus. My goal is
to bring this to the library so we can focus on commuters but I want it to be accessible to
everyone.

My goal as senator is to advocate for two student wellness days per semester that are excused absences from classes and serve as days for mental rest and recuperation. Many students struggle with mental health issues and burnout, attending classes even in a state of poor mental health for fear of their grades being deducted. Each professor has a different absence policy, some not even allowing absences except in the case of extreme illness or emergencies, creating a significant mental burden on students. This initiative pushes for the importance of student’s mental well-being in academic settings, integrating this as a priority in UMBC’s academic policy.