Otterbein University Student Government (OUSG) held their meeting this past Thursday, Feb. 6, to address rising concerns around campus and to discuss the textbook affordability initiative.
Susan Bolt, vice president of business affairs, started off the meeting by addressing some campus rumors and issues.
The first rumor addressed was that members of Otterbein's custodial staff are not being paid. Bolt clarified Otterbein does not control the staff's pay because they are employed by an outside company. The second rumor addressed was that trash doesn't get taken out to the dumpsters from residence halls and that there is an inadequate number of trash cans on campus. “If we can put them in places that are convenient, but not an eyesore, that’s where they will try to put them,” said Bolt. Last, Bolt acknowledged the lack of comment cards in the Cardinal's Nest and OtterDen. Comment cards used to be available in both locations for students to leave reviews, but Parkhurst Dining prefers students to use the Otterbein University Dining Services website for student's questions, comments and concerns.
The Campus Center Modernization Committee and the Dining Hall Committee are currently looking for architectural firms to redesign and remodel the Cardinal's Nest and Campus Center. “[The Dining Hall Committee] is looking for different architectural firms to design a dining hall concept, and for the CC Modernization committee, we are also looking for a firm to help us workshop what can pro-grammatically fit and be reasonable within the campus center,” said OUSG president, Casey Rife.
The Textbook Affordability Initiative Committee is looking to create a “Request For Proposal” (RFP). The proposal is how the committee will look for companies to interview that will help with the initiative and have inclusive access and a beneficial system for students. The initiative would instill a flat fee of approximately $600 in student’s tuition. Books would be mostly rentals but students will have the option to buy them out. The proposal would also fix the situation of students not being able to have their books the first day of class.
The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is holding a canned food drive during the men’s basketball game this Wednesday, Feb. 12. There will be free drinks and hot dogs in exchange for canned goods and there will also be a raffle game during halftime in chance to win a gift card.
President Rife is working with Franklin County Board of Elections to address the student voting location issue. If students are registered to vote through their address on campus, voting locations are over a mile and a half away. The distance makes it harder for students without cars to go vote in upcoming elections, such as the Ohio primary on March 17. President Rife is also collaborating with a group called “All Voting is Local” in Ohio to get voting locations back on campus grounds for students.
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