The Undergraduate Council of Students reviewed a proposed project to allow alums to maintain their Brown e-mail addresses, approved changes to its Student Activities Code of Operations and discussed the agendas of its constituent committees at its general body meeting Wednesday night.
Jake Heimark '11, a fifth-year student who pushed for the University's adoption of Gmail as a first-year, has been working with the Admissions and Student Services Committee, Computing and Information Services and Alumni Relations to establish a system under which students would have access to their Brown e-mail addresses indefinitely after graduation. Heimark said he believes that this change could allow alums to have a continued association with the University and that recent graduates, who may frequently change jobs but need to maintain a stable "personal, but professional" e-mail address, could especially benefit from the change.
Students and alums who share names will have different e-mail addresses, regardless of whether or not they are concurrently enrolled. "There doesn't seem to be too many roadblocks," Chris Collins '11, chair of the Admissions and Student Services Committee, said. He said he hopes the project will be approved this semester and added that President Ruth Simmons has been notified about the initiative.
Heimark assured UCS members that he is in no way attempting to replace the alumni.brown.edu e-mail addresses available to alums but is trying to offer them an additional choice.
UCS also continued reviewing minor changes to its Code of Operations made in response to the new student group application. Following a few additional suggestions by UCS members to clarify the code, the council approved the changes submitted by committee chair Ralanda Nelson '12 and Anthony White '13.
The Admissions and Student Services Committee plans to work with the Department of Facilities Management to improve satellite gyms across campus. Its current goals are to renovate the Bears Lair, garner increased funding to replace athletic equipment and shift the duty of cleaning gym equipment to regular University custodial staff. The University frequently repairs old, broken equipment and currently hires temporary outside staff to clean equipment, said Abhi Reddy '13, a member of the committee.
Aaron Zick '11 of the Campus Life Committee said he will continue efforts to improve Blue Room services and will meet with the manager to review issues regarding staffing and lines. The committee is also planning to work with the Office of Residential Life and Brown Dining Services to increase the number of garbage cans on campus as spring approaches.
The council as a whole is preparing for UCS elections and student appointments to University committees. UCS has already received applications for a student representative position on the University Resources Committee and will be reviewing them and conducting interviews in the coming days, UCS President Diane Mokoro '11 said. A number of information sessions regarding positions on approximately 25 University committees will also be held throughout March, UCS Appointments Chair Michael Schneider '13 said.
