Public Affairs

Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhoods. We understand the difficulties that come with finding off-campus housing and the inconveniences that follow. Through the Neighborhood Council of Williamsburg, we plan to strengthen neighborhood relations in areas with high concentrations of W&M students. Additionally, We promise to maintain a consistent Student Assembly presence at the Neighborhood Council of Williamsburg’s meetings for heightened visibility and to ensure the student perspective is being taken into account. As we gather information early in the semester, we will publish information acquired from these meetings through our emails to the Student Body.

See: Neighborhood Council of Williamsburg

Noise ordinances. We hear you. We understand that noise ordinances in Williamsburg are not the most equitable. In some cases, students have received noise ordinances minutes before it goes into effect. With the Williamsburg City Council, Williamsburg Police Department, and the Neighborhood Council of Williamsburg, we will continue exploring the possibility of pushing the noise ordinance back from 11PM to 12AM as past administrations have done. More importantly, we will work with students and the Williamsburg Police Department to ensure that students in off-campus residencies are not being given noise complaints before it goes into effect.

See:  Williamsburg City Council, Williamsburg Noise Ordinance

Voter's Rights & Voter Engagement Committee. To ease the inevitable uncertainties of the presidential election this fall, we plan to initiate campaigns to educate students about their voting rights and opportunities ahead of the presidential and city council elections this year to inform the student body on the many issues at stake that are going to affect college-aged people and young adults. We plan to work with the Office of Civic & Community Engagement as well as the Voter Engagement Committee to hold educational sessions on how proposed national policies correspond to student rights.

See: Voter Engagement @ W&M, Civic & Community Engagement 

Student-Led Initiatives with William & Mary's Democracy Initiative. Preserving democracy should be the #1 priority of all college students across the nation. We will seek avenues to get students involved with William & Mary's Democracy Initiative, working with the Dean of University Libraries, Carrie Cooper, and the Senior Vice President of Student Affairs, Ginger Ambler. 

See: Vision 2026: Democracy Initiative 

Our administration will be at the frontline getting people TO VOTE. Young people are the most influential in shaping policy, and we're going to mobilize our campus community as best we can.

Williamsbug's Bus System: Want a change of scenery? Need to hit up Trader Joes? The WATA App is several minutes delayed? You're now standing in the cold? In the rain, even? Yeah, we're two students without cars in Williamsburg. We get the struggle. 

We promise to continue Student Assembly’s collaboration with the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority (WATA) to improve the frequency of bus service and advocate for the creation of new bus routes that support the student body’s needs as more and more students move off-campus,

See: William & Mary's Webpage On the Williamsburg Area Transit Authority