USG urges students to voice concerns, opinions

Originally published: Nov. 18, 2010
Publication: THE GLOBE

Ken Heidkamp would like to see a Point Park University football team.

Katie Burks wants more bicycles to rent and for a safer intersection at Wood Street and Boulevard of the Allies.

Eileen Janesz would like more washers and driers for the dorms.

Such concerns, along with games and food from Moes, were included in United Student Government's (USG) forum on Nov. 16.

"I would like students to be aware of who is their representative and feel comfortable talking to them, and voicing their opinions to us, so that when they see us in the  halls or the cafeteria or anywhere they can come talk to us and say, ‘How you doing? I have a concern," and they feel comfortable," USG President Michael Potoczny said.


USG hoped the forum would increase student understanding of USG's involvement within the university.      

"There were several goals for this event. We wanted to spread awareness about what USG has done for students this semester. We wanted them to know hey, you're concerns do matter, they count, this is what we're doing to better serve you," USG student concerns committee member Meagan Stroud said. "And we also wanted to find out what else we can do for students which is why … all the prizes are tied into student concerns. We really want to hear from students at this event. Every member of USG is here for students to talk to, to take concerns."

The forum was presented in a carnival-style set up, with USG representatives from each school offering a different game – corn hole, Twister, pin the tail on the bison and foosball. Winners of the games were given raffle tickets for prizes like USG T-shirts, a Starbucks gift basket and a basket containing candy, various food items and a movie.

Another way to get a raffle ticket was to submit a student concern to one of the USG members.

"There are currently two bikes to rent right now, and [my concern] was that USG have more student bikes … another one was the intersection of Wood and Boulevard," sophomore dance major Burks said.

Junior information technology major Heidkamp was another student who submitted a concern.

"Point Park really needs a football team. We're getting sick of this flag football crap. People are getting injured like it's real football. … If we're going to have real injuries, we need real football," Heidkamp said.

Heidkamp said he believes the addition of a football team would be positive no matter the final results.

"At least someone's listening. That's all that matters­- someone's listening. Even if they can't do much about it, at least they heard," Heidkamp said.

Other students anticipate their concerns being looked at as well, even if results are not immediate.

"I could see it in a couple years, but I wouldn't expect it by next semester," freshman musical theater major Janesz said.

This year's interactive, carnival-style forum offered a different way for students to voice their concerns in comparison to previous years' forums.

"Last year we had two forums and they were movies," Potoczny said. "What happened was we had the movie and then we stopped and had the forum and then went back to the movie. I feel this is a better way – you interact with everybody a lot more, you play games with each other. You really get to know your senator or president and they're not just speaking to you."

USG members said the next step is to examine student concerns.

"All of these concerns are going to be examined by the student concerns committee at our regular meeting [Nov. 17] and then we're just going to go through them one by one and see which ones are the most prevalent, which ones are the most feasible, and do everything we can to make sure these are addressed," Stroud said.

USG urges students to voice concerns, opinions