The Campus Union Assembly has been in full legislative force over the last couple of weeks. The assembly has hosted members of the faculty and administration and passed resolutions and proposals for various areas of the campus. It’s been a busy last few weeks. Most recently, Dr. Samhat began the Nov. 12  meeting with an updated vision for the college in the coming years: a new dormitory, a track and softball field, renovations for academic spaces and a revamped Burwell dining experience. Dr. Samhat noted none of the plans have been set into stone, but the goal of transformational growth for this community remains top priority.  

Dr. Alvis was the second speaker for the evening. He brought up a concern regarding the separation of academic and personal life for students on this campus, as aptly coined in the phrase, “Work hard. Play Hard.” This has manifested in low attendance for speakers on campus, for example. Dr. Alvis brought up an interesting point regarding what we all thought the liberal arts actually stands for: Is it simply a type of educational model? Or is it actually a lifestyle that promotes critical thinking and engagement across lines of difference? My gut says the latter, but my observation, like Dr. Alvis’s, leans toward the former. While the assembly certainly hopes to affect change through proposals and resolutions, informational and thought-provoking visits from people like Dr. Samhat and Dr. Alvis provide the assembly with a change in perspective that is necessary in keeping the assembly on its toes. 

The assembly passed some notable resolutions and proposals over the last few weeks. These include a proposal to help fund a winter formal to be hosted by the Association of Multicultural Students in January, a resolution to recommend the establishment of an Office of Prestigious Fellowships to ultimately help in assisting and identifying students applying for postgraduate scholarships such as the Rhodes and Truman scholarships and a resolution to honor Ms. Cathy for her 20 continuous years of service to the college and its students.  

As always, if you have ideas, questions, concerns or otherwise, please reach out to your respective class or at-large delegates. We are here to serve you.

-Carter Rief