Initiatives
Gender Inclusive Housing Policy Proposal:
Click here to read the gender inclusive housing policy proposal we wrote in consultation with members from Unity! We look forward to working with administration to implement these changes.
Virtual Public Health Week!
USA Public Health Committee adapted Public Health Week so that it is fully online! As apart of Sexual Health and Respect Day, here are some resources regarding Title IX and sexual respect:
NFTA CRAM Passes
USA purchases NFTA CRAM Passes for all undergraduate students on a yearly basis. Your CRAM Pass can be picked up from Bagen Hall. Click here to take a look at USA's NFTA CRAM Course for students interested in exploring Buffalo!
Petey's Pantry
This year, USA worked with the Office of Student Affairs to support the new & improved Petey's Pantry. We raised over $1,500 for the pantry and over 80 meal swipes for Griffs experiencing food insecurity.
Petey's Pantry is located in the lower level of Palisano. If you are experiencing food insecurity & have any questions regarding the Pantry, we encourage you to contact Campus Ministry (646) 671-3671.
Student Engagement
In recent years, our campus has been lacking frequent, large scale programs that bring all members of our community together. In August of 2019, USA allocated $70k to the Office of Student Affairs. This money was used to plan larger scale events such as Pints with Professors and Great Day to be a Griff. Additionally, this money was utilized to hire a full time Student Engagement Coordinator who will be working soley on leadership development, student engagement, and orientation.
Council of Representatives
In January of 2020, USA recreated the Council of Representatives with a new mission of serving as a resource and network of support and collaboration for club leaders on campus. Through Council of Representatives meetings, USA facilitates conversations with club leaders regarding effective marketing & programming, efficient use of club funds, and opportunities for collaboration.
The Canisius Student Promise
The bias related incidents that have occurred on our campus in the past have by and large involved new students. In an effort to show incoming students what our campus community stands for, USA created a "Student Promise." This Promise was presented at New Student Orientation in 2019, and has been implemented into the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion module that all incoming students are required to take prior to arriving to campus. Our Student Promise outlines our values as students at a Jesuit institution and calls upon us to put these values into action.
Senate Efficiency & Effectiveness
In the past, USA has struggled greatly with efficiency and effectiveness. This year, we instituted a number of policies to ensure that our Senators and Committees were being held accountable, functioning to the best of their ability, and receiving the support that they needed in order to be successful. As a result, we have seen greater initiative being taken by Senators, more frequent & regular committee meetings, and an increase in programming & initiatives.
Diversity & Inclusion
USA Diversity Committee has brought an intersectional perspective to their programming this year with programs such as:
- An Enlight Night on Food Insecurity followed by a poverty simulation
- International Women's Day Photo Campaign
- Collaborating with the Griff Center for First Generation College Students Week
- A Seat at the Table event to celebrate and share the stories of women of marginalized identities
Diversity Chair Morgan Morris & USA President Abby Hughes worked with members of the campus community in the creation of the College's Strategic Plan on Race. In doing so, we have identified a number of opportunities for USA to assist in the implementation of the strategies outlined in the Plan going forward. One of the strategies that we have begun working on this semester is the creation of a Diversity Board which is made up of leaders from clubs such as Afro-American Society, LASAF, MAPS, Global Horizons, Women & Gender Studies Club, and UNITY. USA plans to allocate money to this Board in the future, which this board would then allocate to events, programs, or initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campus.
Student Health
USA Public Health Committee has been working on promoting ways in which students can live out the Jesuit value of cura personalis through a wholistic approach to health. Listed below are some of the programs and initiatives that Public Health has implemented on campus this academic year:
- Heart-Saver Resolution calling on administration to install more AED's on campus
- CPR Certification for 30 students in Spring 2020
- Mental Health & First Aid Training in Fall 2019
- Zumba & Yoga classes for students
- Virtual Public Health Week
- Working with administration on the implementation of the Smoke Free Campus Policy
Voter Registration Drives in Preparation For The 2020 Presidential Election
USA Justice Committee conducted 2 voter registration drives this year. For the most recent Voter Registration Drive, USA brought in a representative from the Erie County Board of Elections to guide students through registering to vote.
Sustainability
USA Sustainability Committee worked with administration to ensure that students' voices were heard and included in the creation of the College's Sustainability Plan.
Sustainability Chair Emily Augugliaro and members of the Executive Board were able to negotiate a more comprehensive contract with Reddy Bikes that would increase promotion of the Reddy Bike Program and would make the bike sharing program more accessible to students.
Advocacy On & Off Campus
This year, USA's advocacy has extended beyond just our campus. In response to the racist, anti-Semitic, and bigoted incidents that occurred initially at Syracuse University (SU) & UB in the Fall 2019 semester, USA President Abby Hughes & Diversity Chair Morris wrote a statement condemning these acts and urging the SU Administration to listen and act upon the demands of the #NotAgainSU movement. We were able to get the student government Presidents from UB, Niagara University, Buffalo State, Medaille, and Daemen College to sign onto this statement.
USA President Abby Hughes wrote and signed onto a statement in support of the DACA Program and Dreamers through the Jesuit Student Government Alliance. Through this statement, USA committed ourselves to standing for and with DACA recipients and their families through education and advocacy.