The 2010-11 school year marked the second year of activity for First Year Council. At the beginning of this year, FYC set goals and had activities in place that would allow the freshman class to have an active voice on campus.
“Last year’s FYC set a precedent that gave this year’s FYC a lot to live up to,” said Mary Sellers Shaw, president of FYC, in an emailed statement. “With the guidance of previous FYC members, FYC this year was able to continue its positive impact on the UA community.”
FYC was able to bring students together through a number of their projects, Shaw said. Projects this year included a tailgate during football season, collaboration with the Student Recreation Center to encourage exercise among students, and working alongside University grounds crew members through the campus beautification initiative.
“First Year Council went above my expectations,” Director Kelsey Kurth said. “They decided on their own initiatives and did everything they could to accomplish them. I am extremely proud of their accomplishments this year, and I am excited to see what is to come from them in the future.”
FYC also had a civility campaign where councilors worked to bring awareness to vandalism in residence halls. They collaborated with the Dean of Students office and Judicial Affairs to organize a statute of limitations for student policy violations. An upcoming release is set for a redesigned freshman website and Student Government Association database.
“We did all of the things [we set out to do], but Fist Year Council’s value exceeded all of our expectations for the year,” Shaw said. “These projects, and many more, allowed this year’s FYC to make a significant impact on campus while also allowing its members to come together as both leaders and as friends.”
Legislation authored by FYC members was passed and put into effect throughout the school year. Resolutions include: encouraging freshmen to attend workshops, participate in campus philanthropy projects and congratulating fellow students and student organizations.
Next year, there will be changes in FYC through the new SGA constitution. The director of the council will now be a member of the SGA executive council.
“I think this will aid the council in getting an inside look on all the branches of SGA,” Kurth said. “This change will help to connect the council to the entire SGA.”
Shaw said FYC would look to work closer with senators as well as SGA executive officers and directors.
“Next year, FYC will continue as it strives to make a positive impact on the first year experience here at UA,” she said. “There are exciting plans in store to not only continue previous years’ legacies, but also to instill new legacies of its own.”
Councilman Davis Vaughn said he looked forward to seeing all the exciting changes and ideas that next year’s freshmen will bring to the table.
“As FYC continues to grow and develop, more measures must be taken to ensure that the freshman voice is represented properly,” Vaughn said. “Whether it be through joint sessions or training workshops, senators must take an active role in ensuring that the new class of campus leaders is adequately prepared to serve their constituents and the University as a whole.”
