USG evaluates communications policy, management of projects

USG Communications Director Andy Martens ’13 and Student Engagement Chair Carla Javier ’15 started the meeting by addressing the shortcomings of the student government’s communications.

Martens is also the director of The Prox and Social Media for The Daily Princetonian and Javier is also a staff writer for the Student Life beat for the ‘Prince’ and is not involved with USG coverage.

Martens explained that in the past, senate members have struggled to stay in regular contact with both the USG executive committee and the leaders of current projects.

Javier added that this communication lapse has made the contribution of individual senators opaque to the rest of campus and has also discouraged student feedback.

Martens and Javier proposed the creation of an office hours system at the USG office in Frist Campus Center to encourage more personal interactions between USG members. USG president Bruce Easop ’13 also encouraged the USG to use social media such as Twitter and blog posts to engage students.

Martens also outlined the need to publicize projects.

“Often when projects are created, students only know Bruce, so if we can put a face on the senator who actually created a project, it allows students to see what the person who they elected is doing,” Martens explained.

Martens also suggested the creation of a new system to compile the milestones and the completion of USG projects.

Greg Smith ’15 followed with a presentation on the efforts to improve the management of USG projects, starting with an overview of the newly created Projects Planning Form.

Smith overviewed examples of effective project forms with the intention of creating clear and more concrete benchmarks for individual projects.

Afterwards, Smith described all of the ongoing projects that the USG has carried over since last semester, including the Social Map, which is intended to create a website that gives a map of the various social events happening on campus. The project, Smith said, is nearing completion.

Smith also discussed the launch of new projects for the term, including the creation of more off-campus trips.

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The new trips would focus on creating additional opportunities for upperclassmen. Residential college councils currently organize and manage trips for underclassmen.

Smith also discussed projects to increase the number of take-out boxes from dining halls and to expand late meal.

The meeting then broke into a period for agenda-setting considerations, a new installment at USG meetings. The USG concluded the meeting with a period of Executive Session to discuss internal matters.