LET'S PUT STUDENTS FIRST

Improving security

I will work with campus security and UIC police to identify higher risk areas and ensure they are adequately monitored.

Improving the safety alert system

Improvements to the safety alert system are necessary to ensure that students are updated on situations in a quick and timely manner during developing situations.

Safer parking structures

I will ensure our parking structures always have attendants on duty. This includes more cameras installed, more parking attendants at later times, and on days with late-running events, an increased UIC security presence. I also plan to improve outdoor nighttime lighting.

Fixing the Wi-Fi

I will work with the University and technology department to identify deficiencies in their infrastructure that are causing these issues. This includes exploring bandwidth limit, costs for improvement, and the need for signal extensions.

I will identify what services are contracted and what improvements and changes to the deal can be made. I will also identify where on campus service needs to be expanded and improved and begin the process to enact necessary improvements.

Modernizing our outdated infrastructure

I will push the administration to agree to prioritize repairs and improvements to older buildings used everyday by students as much as new projects.

I will identify the areas and buildings that are the most outdated and often fall into disrepair and prioritize them.

Establish a napping area on campus

I will work with the library and Student Services to establish a napping area for finals week.

I will compare to models used at other universities to see what the best models are.

Improve and increase study spaces

I will identify spaces on campus that can be more used more efficiently as study spaces. I will also work to provide more outlets in existing areas.

Increasing mental health resources

This includes fighting for more funding, better support groups, more staff hiring, and more appointments available for students

I also plan to help with identifying at-risk students, those failing courses or falling behind, and reaching out to assist them instead of simply sending an automated academic probation warning.

I will work with these at-risk students towards their success to ensure they stay in and graduate if a college education is still a priority for them.

Lower book costs

I will advocate for more open source materials.

I will also establish a committee to look into the relationship between exclusive book deals with companies and department funding. This includes looking into situations when books are published by professors and if their book is the superior option.

Provide more financial aid resources

I will work with advisors to give students more assistance in navigating the financial aid process, especially when something goes wrong.

I will explore options for streamlining the process.

Establishing Greek housing for UIC

I will work with the university to commit to an agreement to creating and allowing official Greek housing on campus

I plan to establish a pilot program to move towards housing. This would begin with providing Greek organizations the opportunity to live in designated suites in university housing for their members to live in and use.

Improving our sense of campus community

This includes:

- Prioritizing USG (Undergraduate Student Government) to proactively use their external organization funding to fund student organizations.

- Working with SAB and CSI to provide more events on campus that reflect the interests of students.

- Ensuring that the university takes student input into consideration when implementing the UIC master plan.

- Exploring the possibility of providing UIC students priority in obtaining tickets and potential discounts for events hosted at campus facilities.

Providing more commuter resources

This will include longer commuter center hours and ensuring commuter input is given when the university approaches future plans for improving our campus.

More emphasis on providing real world work opportunities for students

I will expand Internship programs and opportunities. This includes:

- Working with our corporate partners to establish programs for UIC students.

- Cooperating with professors to establish more Independent study programs.

- Identifying on-campus opportunities that would give students experience towards improving skills related to their majors.

Empowering student workers, researchers, and graduate student employees

I fully support the GEO (Graduate Employees' Organization) labor union and will continue to provide my support as trustee.

I will explore increasing student worker pay to be competitive with Chicago minimum.

Establishing a start-up incubator on campus

I will work with the heads of the UIC Makerspace to see how we can expand it to work towards including a start-up program.

I will create a committee to see how this program can work in conjunction with efforts to establish the Discovery Partners Institute.

Student outreach

I will increase outreach to Chicago residents and low income students. As a native Chicagoan myself, this is an important consideration of my campaign.

Freedom of expression

I will ensuring press freedom from reprisal for student publications and uphold free speech on campus.

Student advocates program

I will work with student legal services and pre-law organizations to create a program where a student familiar with the code of conduct and academic integrity rules would help a student through school litigation to ensure they are aware of their rights and how to defend themselves.