When spring comes to Princeton, students may be able to lounge outdoors in USG-supplied hammocks. These hammocks, along with hand sanitizers in dining facilities, near-boiling water taps in libraries and a campus-wide assassins game are a few of the many projects that USG senators, U-councilors and various committees are looking to tackle this semester and were discussed at last night’s Senate meeting.
These initiatives highlighted the focus on “pet projects” that USG president Josh Weinstein ’09 described as “really critical to the overall success of the USG” at last week’s meeting.
Though the USG’s recently modified structure has divided responsibility among its members, its projects will be coordinated through the new liaison system.
Liaisons are meant to specialize in their particular campus issue and become the point-person for any concerns, USG vice president Mike Wang ’10 explained.
The hope is that the structure will help to facilitate efficient communication between members of the USG, as well as with the administration, Weinstein said at last week’s meeting.
“The U-Council has been making a lot of effort to really coordinate projects,” U-Council chair Sarah Langberg ’09 explained.
The advent of campus hammocks will be supplemented by a push for other facilities improvements, including vending machines in dorms and two-ply toilet paper in restrooms.
Permanently installing hand sanitizers in dining halls is a focus of Class of 2010 senator Cole Morris ’10. “We’re meeting with Dining Services to see if they might support us,” he said.
Class of 2009 senator Tracy Vu ’09 wants to better communicate student concerns to Dining Services. “I’m working on having a computer [for feedback] right at the entrances to the dining halls,” Vu said.
The campus-wide assassins game, another one of Vu’s projects, will be ready after spring break, she said.
Dillon Gym continues to be a subject of major concern among members of the USG.
U-councilor Liz Rosen ’10, the campus recreation liaison, is working both on expanding the hours and limiting the overcrowding problem in Stephens Fitness Center. Her agenda includes extending its weekday hours to 2 a.m. and the weekend hours to midnight. Stephens Fitness Center currently closes at 11:45 p.m. Sundays through Fridays and at 7:45 p.m. on Saturdays.
She also plans to make better use of the card catalog space on the first floor of Firestone Library. “That’s prime real estate,” Langberg noted. “Since we don’t really use the card catalogs, then maybe they can have a better home,” she explained.
As room draw approaches, U-councilor Maria Salciccioli ’09 plans to put copies of Room Draw 2008 packets out around campus and add pictures of dorm rooms to the room-draw website, hosted by the USG.
As the housing and Frist Campus Center liaison for the U-Council, Salciccioli is lobbying to get Frist open 24 hours as a study space for students during midterms week.
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