This Sunday, DePauw Student Government met to discuss a slew of new projects benefiting students.
Projects discussed include a new "Applied Civic Learning" class, a partnership with Ashley Square Cinema, a new television in the Hub, an opportunity for students to improve sustainability at DePauw and an initiative to modify the student handbook to ensure that professors hand out prompts at least two weeks before finals.
The new initiative to ensure that professors assign all projects at least two weeks before finals is a result of a complaint that student government has heard for the past few years. Students were being given prompts for essays or new assignments in the week before finals, when they were already feeling overwhelmed by studying for their upcoming exams.
"In the student handbook now, there is very vague language," senior Mark Fadel, vice president of the student body said.
The student handbook, found on the DePauw website, currently says in regard to due dates that, "assignments for papers and projects due in the last five days of class should be provided well in advance."
Students suggested a policy change to alleviate pre-finals panic.
"I think that it would make everyone much less stressed before finals, and that it would improve our test scores," freshman Michelle Tykvart said.
In addition to this change to the handbook, a new academic opportunity, an applied civic learning class, will be available next fall. The class will combine an academic project with hands-on experience in the community.
"You could intern at the county commissioner's office and do a project related to that. Or, if you're interested in medicine, you could get a position at the hospital," Fadel said. "If I could have, I would've taken this class."
Applications are downloadable off the DePauw student website, and will be due April 5.
"Personally, that's a class that I'd want to take. It'd give me more hands-on experience in what I want to do," Tykvart said. "Some people don't like volunteering, but I really do, and it'd be a bonus to the schoolwork."
Not only do students have the opportunity to apply for this new class, but Fadel is also encouraging students to apply for grants from the new student sustainability fund.
According to the student government page on the DePauw website, "The aim of the SSF is to provide resources for student endeavors that support the 'triple bottom line' of environmental protection, economic vitality, and social equity, particularly at the intersection of these systems. Requests for funding can include, but are not limited to, campus sustainability improvements, speakers, programs, and conferences."
Applications for this opportunity to improve DePauw's sustainability are due this Friday, March 15.
In addition to creating new academic and contributive opportunities for students, student government has been searching for new ways to improve students' social life and downtime. According to Fadel, they are planning to get feedback from students regarding how they use their TV's, to see if the cable network package can be reduced and the newly available funding can be used to improve wi-fi around campus.
"We know that a lot of people use Netflix, or apps to stay current on news and television instead of watching TV," Fadel said.
In addition, student government has placed a new TV at the Hub. This TV will be screening advertisements for campus events, as well as D3TV and news stories.
In hopes of providing more entertainment options for students on campus, student government has already created a partnership with Ashley Square Cinemas. Students can now attend movies at the cinema for free, anytime there's a showing and get discounts on concessions. Student government funds these free movies.
"This partnership is a result of feedback forms from students that indicated that they would enjoy free movies, as well as the general notion that we need more to do around campus," Fadel said.