Health & Safety UVM is our home and we should feel safe here creating a Student Health and Safety committee on the Student Government Association.

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1 Greetings, Platform My name is Jillian Scannell and I am asking for your support in my run for President of the UVM Student Government Association. I am a junior majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Political Science. I enjoy spending time with friends, being outside, listening to music, and doing a puzzle or two. I am so thankful for my time here at UVM; it has provided me with great opportunities and brought wonderful people into my life. For the past two years I have served as a Senator on the Committee on the Environment, and spent this past year as Speaker of the Senate. In my time on CoE I brought the Save Ohno competition to UVM, worked with Henderson s to switch to more eco-friendly cups, assisted with Carbon Neutral SGA, and helped to coordinate the Environmental Collaboration Organization (ECO). In addition, I am seeing through a project to bring composting to the Howe Library. In my role as Speaker of the Senate, I have facilitated weekly senate meetings and interpreted SGA s constitution. I have also had the pleasure of seeing the hard work of senators culminate in the form of bills and resolutions. As President of the SGA my job would be to advocate for students. To me this means creating an environment where students feel safe, have all the resources needed to succeed, and feel their voices are being heard. If elected, I commit to lead with compassion, operate with transparency, and work to enhance every student s experience here at UVM. I am grateful to be running with my good friend Owen Doherty for Vice President. Owen s passion for bettering his community is inspiring. Together we look forward to advocating for the needs of all students. Thank you for taking the time to read our platform. While it is long and ambitious, these issues are important, and if we can make a difference for even just a few students, then it was worth it.

2 Health & Safety UVM is our home and we should feel safe here. It s simple: students should never feel unsafe on campus. Health and Safety is a priority of ours and currently there is no SGA committee addressing it. Issues of health and safety are currently thrown into ad-hoc committee and aren t given the attention they deserve. We are committed to creating a Student Health and Safety committee on the Student Government Association. These issues will then be brought to the forefront of our conversations, not swept to the side. We are committed to fully implementing Safe Ride Home. Safe Ride Home is an initiative SGA has been working on all year and is close to its final stages of implementation. Safe Ride Home would give every UVM student a free, secure ride home between the hours of 9pm and 3am. If a student is in a uncomfortable or unsafe situation, stranded somewhere, or even just fatigued and unable to walk home, they will be given a ride, no questions asked. This program would reduce noise violations and vandalism caused by students walking through residential neighborhoods late at night. Most importantly, it will keep our students safe. No student should ever feel lost, helpless, or alone after surviving sexual harassment or assault; it is the university's duty to provide resources for these survivors. Currently the university has one campus victims advocate who deals with hundreds of cases every semester. We will advocate for an increased number of victims advocates. We recognize that adding more advocates will not stop sexual assault on our campus. Additionally, it is difficult for survivors to find information about their options for reporting and other resources. We need to make clear all the options and resources available for survivors. Above all else, the UVM community needs to work to change campus culture around sexual assault to help prevent it in the first place. Mental health is a growing problem on campuses nationwide. At UVM, 40% of undergraduates are diagnosed or treated by professionals for mental health conditions. This is above the nationwide average of 30%. We need to continue to improve our mental health resources on campus. We will also ensure that students are aware of the many alternative resources that support their mental health, beyond Counseling and Psychiatry Services (CAPS). Peer to peer leadership can be an important part of student mental health on campus. Many colleges around the nation have student-run mental health support groups. By implementing peer to peer support programs we can relieve some pressure on CAPS and provide even more resources to those who need it.

3 Our student health center is one of the oldest in country. We need to continue to push for improved health facilities on campus. Without twenty-first century facilities, we can t fully respond to students health needs. Finally, the Catamount Recovery Program is an exceptional resource on campus for those struggling with addiction and seeking a substance-free university experience. We need to continue to support the CRP and their work to de-stigmatize addiction and recovery on campus. Currently, the Catamount Recovery Program is understaffed and underfunded. We need to bring it to forefront of our conversations surrounding health on campus. Academics Our primary reason for attending UVM is to receive an education. There are already many barriers to attending college. Once students are here they should be able to have all the support they need to help them reach their academic goals. This means having the ability to explore varying interests and have flexibility in schedules to take cross-college courses. We want to make it accessible for students in one college to take courses in another. If a student studying nursing in the CNHS and wants to take an English course in CAS, then they should have the opportunity to do so. If a course students are interested in fits within their schedule, then there should be no barriers to taking it. Additionally, it should be easier for first year students to explore classes. Students who are undeclared in their first year, should have access to introductory courses in any college, regardless of their home college. We support a change in language from undeclared to exploratory. Most of UVM s comparator schools have 24 hour library hours. While we have a small section that is 24 hours, there is not enough space for the amount of students that are studying late at night. We need to advocate for extended library hours, especially during the weeks surrounding finals. Students need a convenient, safe place to study with resources that enhance their learning. Studying late nights in an unused class room or common room isn t enough, students should have access to more of the library, not just the small 24 hour study lounge. Our finals schedule is flawed. We will advocate for final exam blocks to be pushed back 1 hour. It s unreasonable to ask students to be prepared to take a final exam at 7:30am when most dining halls and services aren t yet open on campus. Exams beginning at 8:30am would give students more time to prepare for their exams and eat a hearty breakfast beforehand. Finally, we need to make sure we are supporting our liberal arts programs. UVM was founded on a belief in a liberal arts education, and we can t undermine the importance of courses in communication, arts, writing, and history. We need to make sure our Deans and administrators recognize the value of a well rounded education. We will work to make sure that

4 the university doesn t prioritize profit over students. In the age of social media, false facts spread like wildfire. There needs to be more transparency from the administration so everyone has the same information regarding finances and program cuts. Supporting Students UVM is an exceptional place with even more exceptional students. One of the best qualities of our institution is the engagement of students in activism across campus. We need to be supporting students across campus, and that means all students. There are passionate students who are lobbying for the reform of the ways in which sexual misconduct is reported, advocating for humanities, fighting for social justice, and so much more. These students need to be heard and brought to the table. SGA has the privilege of having access to university administrators, and we should be using it to lift other students voices. If student activists want to participate in productive conversations with administrators, they should be able to. We will support student activists across campus. Movements like No Names for Justice, Explain the Asterisk, and Humans of Humanities shouldn t be alone in their work, they should have SGA s full and unequivocal support. Conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion at UVM over the past few years have been challenging, but important. While having these conversations is a good first step, they must be followed by clear action steps. We commit to making SGA more representative of the student body. We will work with identity centers across campus to elect and appoint senators who represent the marginal identities of the student body. In addition we will require our Appointments Committee to have implicit bias training. This is a requirement that most search committees at the University have, and will continue to help us improve the talent and diversity of the SGA. This year the Campus Climate Survey was conducted for the first time since We believe that the Campus Climate Survey should be conducted every 3 years. The last survey was conducted in Eight years is too long an amount of time to wait to conduct a campus climate survey as the campus climate is constantly changing. We need consistent and reliable information gathering mechanisms to ensure productive conversations. There's also more we can do to support clubs on our campus. Due to SGA Financial Policy after becoming recognized, clubs don t have access to a budget for one year. We propose creating a New Club Supplemental Fund. This way clubs can have the support they need to host events and gain members in their first year. In our classes, we find faculty that are ill-equipped to have the conversations we need to be having around diversity and social justice. We will push for social justice and inclusionary

5 language workshops for ALL faculty & staff. We need to be having these conversations with everyone included, from students in the front of the room to the back of it, with professors who are equipped and prepared to have them. Additionally SGA doesn t need to be a silo of just forty-two Senators. As President and Vice President we commit to creating a cabinet of student liaisons to better represent the interests, identities, and experiences that make our campus vibrant. This cabinet will be made up of student leaders from across campus who aren t apart of SGA, they will serve as an advisory body to the entire Senate, and be a great resource for communication and collaboration. Students that participate in Fraternity and Sorority Life make up 8% of our student population, and in 2017, 10 of our FSL houses lost their tax exempt status. Now, they have to pay a combined $216,000 annually in taxes. These organizations raised over $136,000 for their philanthropies last year and annually perform hundreds of hours of community service. As an administration we will lobby at the State House for the return of tax exempt status for FSL houses. Environment and Sustainability UVM is often seen and advertised as being an environmentally friendly campus. As you walk around you will see bags adorned with eco-ware tags, sporks, and reusable water bottles. But beyond fostering an eco-friendly campus culture, we must continue to advocate for a more just and sustainable campus. Climate change is one the biggest problems facing society today, and UVM should be a leader in campus sustainability. In the past, campus sustainability initiatives like the Clean Energy Fund and the Climate Action Plan grew out of student concern and support to act on climate change. As students we must continue to use our voice and take action against climate change.we will support environmental initiatives grown out of student organizations including carbon offsets, waste reduction, better composting, single-use plastic bans, fossil fuel divestment, etc. We will unequivocally support the work of SGA s Committee on the Environment. This includes ensuring SGA to continues to take steps to become carbon neutral. Using energy, transportation, shipping, and waste data, SGA will offset the carbon usage associated with our recognized clubs and use of the Davis Center. We will urge UVM s new president to recommit the University to taking action on climate change. Despite boasting an environmental image, we as a University do not have a sustainability plan that comes from upper-level administration. We will advocate that the university stays committed to its 2010 Climate Action Plan goals which include becoming carbon neutral by 2025.

6 Dining We need dining that works for all students. Dining is important to students and is key to a healthy life here at UVM. We shouldn t have to fit UVM Dining s schedule around our own. First, we need to extend the hours of campus dining locations. Currently the University Marche opens at 9:00 am on weekdays, but should begin operating at 8:00am to accommodate for students with early morning classes. Similarly, Redstone Unlimited Dining closes at 8:00pm, but should be open for at least another hour to accommodate for students that have classes, practices, or meetings that end later in the evening. Dining locations need extended hours during finals week. Students need to have dining options available for when they are studying early in the morning and late into the night. Additionally, we need to make sure our retail points plan covers student s full diets. Currently the retail points plan only covers a portion of students total meals for the semester, depending on eating habits and budgeting. We need to expand this plan so that it covers every meal for students during the semester. We are also committed to increasing the number of options for those who have dietary restrictions. Students shouldn t be struggling to find food on campus that works with their diets. We also need better labeling of allergens, so that students with allergies feel confident that what they are eating isn t going to harm them. A recent survey conducted at UVM, identified that one in five undergraduate students at here have experienced food insecurity. Food insecurity is a lack of reliable access to affordable and nutritious foods. Often, students face food insecurity as a result of high housing costs and price of textbooks and other materials. We support the hard work of the Food Insecurity Working Group in implementing programs such as Swipe Out Hunger. We hope to continue to work with them and others in SGA to see through the implementation of an on-campus food pantry. Transportation, Parking & Housing Easy access to transportation around Burlington is essential to the life of many students. First Year students don t have cars on campus, and Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors struggle to find parking. Transportation and parking is a conversation that is often talked about, but no actions are being taken to make this aspect of life on and off campus much easier. First, we need to create a morning off-campus bus. Students living downtown often take the Green Mountain Transit buses to campus, which can be unreliable at times and don t advertise a clear schedule. With the implementation of a morning off-campus bus, students living

7 downtown won t have to worry about being late for class due to an unreliable bus or walking on icy and dangerous sidewalks up to campus. We also need to improve our partnership with Greenride Bikeshare. The first year has been fantastic, and we need to continue to capitalize on its success. We need to expand the numbers of Bikeshare hubs in student neighborhoods. This way students off-campus have access to bikes near their homes. Parking on campus is a headache for students living both on and off campus. Students are paying over $300 for a parking pass on campus. We need to push UVM to look into alternative parking locations further from campus that offer spots at a cheaper price. Finding another parking location further from campus that costs less, UVM students who don t need their car close to their residence hall can have the convenience of having a car in Burlington without having to struggle to find parking. Champlain College provides a similar option for their students. Finding housing in Burlington can be very stressful for upperclassmen. Rent of off-campus housing is high and the quality of housing is low. We need to advocate for the tenant s rights of students. Landlords should not be allowed to take advantage of students. Students need access to safe and healthy off-campus living environments. There have been conversations regarding new housing being developed on Trinity campus. We need to advocate for more affordable housing that students actually want to live in. Whether it be through a third party contract similar to what is being used for the Redstone Lofts or owned by the university, we need to make sure this new housing is affordable and realistic for students. Vote March 28th & 29th for Jillian Scannell & Owen Doherty We are passionate about enhancing student experience here at UVM. This means creating an environment where students feel safe, have all the resources needed to succeed, and feel that their voices are being heard. If elected, our most important job is to advocate for the needs of all students. We commit to hearing the concerns of all students, leading with compassion, and operating with transparency. As we continue through this process we would love to hear from you, whether that be via or grabbing a coffee together at Henderson s. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions, comments, or concerns.

8 Jillian Scannell Owen Doherty