By Petra Stark–
As part of SGA Week, the Student Government Association hosted a services town hall asking students what issues around campus they you would like to see solved.
Services Vice President Eli Cooper said the biggest concerns are expanding sustainability efforts around campus, expanding gender-inclusive and POC housing options, raising visibility for inclusive housing services and making campus safer.
Areas under his jurisdiction include parking, housing, dining, public safety, sustainability and facilities on campus. Cooper invited students to speak to gauge what issues concern them.
Students said the TARC bus route to the football stadium doesn’t operate on weekends, making it difficult for students without cars to make it to the games. Cooper suggested expanding the Cardinal escort service to ferry students to the games in addition to their already-offered service of providing students with a safe ride around campus after dark.
Because TARC service is handled by the city of Louisville, any changes to routes or times would have to come from them. SGA could not simply open a dialogue with U of L’s administration to add the routes.
Students were also concerned with the recent crimes committed in apartments on and around U of L’s campus. While the L-Trail ensures students a well-lit route for when they’re out after dark, the trail ends around the Ville Grille and the surrounding residence halls.
Cooper said the L-Trail is supposed to receive an expansion into necessary areas, but the trail is state-funded, and U of L hasn’t received the funds promised by the state for the much-needed expansion. Cooper assured the student recent safety concerns would make the L-Trail expansion a much higher priority issue.
After requesting any ideas for sustainability efforts students wanted to see on campus, Cooper was asked what some of the biggest challenges regarding sustainability the university currently faced.
He said expanding composting efforts, designing construction with sustainability certifications in mind and mitigating flooding issues around campus are priorities
Students attending said lights are on in campus buildings far later than necessary and the trash produced by dining facilities has no alternative disposal method like recycling or composting. Since dining facilities are handled by Aramark, the introduction of more compostable or recyclable packaging for food would have to be handled by them, Cooper said. He said Aramark has resisted efforts to implement this change, citing a lack of student interest.
SGA is working to expand student coalitions for these different initiatives, but needs students to express these complaints directly, or respond to surveys sent out by the SGA to gauge interest. If students have any other concerns or want to express their desire to see some of these changes enacted, Cooper encouraged them to email him at [email protected]. More information about SGA can be found at their LinkTree.
File Graphic//The Louisville Cardinal
