The Student 2020 Plan

THE STUDENT 2020 PLAN

A Guide to developing a New Cardinal Experience for the next decade

The Student 2020 Plan, or The Plan, is a strategic initiative lead by student government

and endorsed by the student body to change SGA from an association that evaluates

problems annually into an institution that develops solutions aggregately. This 2020

Plan will extend from the 2010-2011 academic year through the 2020-2021 academic

years to create a campus community that allows students to thrive and develop in their

academics, social and community pursuits. The Plan is dedicated to creating a New

Cardinal Experience for the student body at UofL and attempts to measure specific

goals through tangible outcomes.

Background

During the fall of 2009, students completed nearly 1,000 surveys that asked specifically

the importance of student issues regarding five key areas for student success: College

Affordability, Student Facilities, Academic Enrichment, Student Services and Student

Engagement. These surveys were used to develop the structure and focus of The Plan.

The issues that were discovered and the general means to tackle them are listed

below. This is not meant to be a strict and rigid requirement for student government of

the future to adhere to; rather a guide in answering the questions that students have

been asking for years. The issues in the 2020 Plan are divided into 5 general

categories: College Affordability, Student Facilities, Academic Enrichment,

Student Services and Student Engagement. Through these 5 areas, the student

experience at UofL can be changed. A New Cardinal Experience can emerge. The

Student 2020 Plan will take us there.

College Affordability

College Affordability, SGA President

As a student body, we are conscious of the fact that college costs money, time and

energy and we give those things at our own benefit or peril. There is no attempt to pass

higher education off as a right; but what must be acknowledged is that higher education

is an investment by all, for all. The Plan attempts to articulate this investment through

policy initiatives. College must be affordable, and affordability must be defined. When

colleges become unaffordable, universities bring in less revenue and contribute less

trained workers, less provided services and less community engagement. Costs must

be kept low; college must be kept affordable. This is a statewide issue. The execution of

this section of The Plan will largely be under the purview of the SGA President.

Initiative: Develop College Affordability Bill

State funding for higher education continues to go down. And when state funding goes

down, tuition and fees go up. Student Government is committed to launching a

statewide effort to force state government’s hand in keeping higher education

affordable.

Goal: Establish an accepted statewide definition of “affordable” when discussing

college affordability. (2014)

Goal: A bill is signed into law with two provisions that states support for adequate

funding for higher education and an amendment to the state constitution that

state government must do its part to keep higher education affordable. (2016)

Initiative: Develop a unique competitive advantage for the University of Louisville

In order to keep tuition as slow as possible but improve services, academic quality and

degree worth, we must recruit the best students. Right now, there isn’t a well developed

marketing position for UofL in terms of targeting students across the country. Student

Government will advocate for the development of one.

Goal: Among staff, the administration and SGA, create agreed upon target

market initiatives to bring in the best quality students for graduate and

undergraduate programs. (2012)

Initiative: Enhance Board of Student Body Presidents’ role in Higher

Education

The Board of Student Body Presidents is the statewide board made up of the 8 public

institutions of higher education in Kentucky. Those schools are UofL, UK, Murray State,

Morehead, Kentucky State, EKU, WKU and Northern Kentucky. The student voice can

be stronger across the state if these schools develop statewide programs to encourage

higher education support and college affordability initiatives. The programs below will

go statewide to ensure this progress.

Goal: Local “Rally” Event (2011)

Goal: Listen Up Legislators (2012)

Goal: Tax Services Program (2012)

Goal: Financial Literacy Program (an program dedicated dealing with purchasing

cheap books and students dealing with credit card companies (2013)

Student Facilities

Student Facilities, SGA Executive Vice-President

Students require facilities that allow them to explore and enhance their college

experience. In order for facilities to stay abreast of current student desires and

interests, new buildings must be built and current buildings must be renovated. As the

university continues to improve in quality, so too must our academic space, cultural

tolerance and recreational avenues improve. All of these are set aside for new building

projects in The Plan. The execution of this section of The Plan will largely be under the

purview of the Executive Vice-President.

Initiative: Create a new Student Recreational Facility

A new center for recreational activity would vastly improve the student experience. Our

current facility is outdated, uncomfortable, and unsuitable for the growing population

student population at UofL. Student Government has advocated for the building of a

new one.

Goal: Open new Student Recreational Facility (2013)

Initiative: Improve the current Student Activities Center

The Student Activities Center, built in 1990, needs significant renovation and

expansion. With a new recreational center in the works, there will be space that can

potentially be turned into meeting areas, dining facilities, or another type of space that

students are asking for.

Goal: Completed SAC expansion and renovation (2016)

Initiative: Build a new Academic Building on Belknap Campus

As our student population continues to grow and the quality of our students continues to

improve, we need to be sure we are keeping up with the improvement in academic

facilities.

Goal: Open new Academic Building (2015)

Initiative: Build a new Cultural Center on Belknap Campus

Diversity is one of the stable principles of the University of Louisville. In order to stay

true to this mission, a new, inviting and inclusive center for students of all backgrounds

must be built on campus. Student Government will advocate for it.

Goal: Open a new Cultural Center on Belknap Campus (2017)

Academic Enrichment

Academic Enrichment, SGA Academic-Vice President

A quality classroom and advising experience are paramount in student success.

According the student surveys taken in fall 2009 that were used to develop this plan,

student listed faculty evaluations, grading policy and blackboard usage as top issues.

Students also mentioned quality advising as a growing area of concern; developing

comprehensive reform in all of these areas is of particular importance in developing the

student experience. A poor system in these areas directly leads to retention issues. The

Plan offers ways faculty, students and administrators can work together to improve

these areas.

Initiative: Increase faculty Blackboard usage

Students actively use blackboard to check grades, find assignments, and communicate

with classmates. Blackboard can be a great tool that professors can use to enhance

the classroom experience and improve the overall quality of classroom instruction.

Goal: Define specifically how Blackboard is to be used by faculty and include

Blackboard usage or the University equivalent system at the time in the faculty

evaluation process (2016)

Initiative: Reevaluate Faculty Evaluations

Students are able to critique their classroom experience by submitting evaluations.

Student Government will ensure that students are more included in the evaluation

process, and that their concerns are addressed.

Goal: Create an agreed upon system between administration, faculty and SGA

on faculty evaluation (2016)

Initiative: Improve Advising

Advising is a very crucial service provided to students. Advisors maintain the

movement towards graduation for students. Student Government will work to make

sure that a system is developed that works most efficiently to this aim.

Goal: Among advising staff, administration and SGA, create an agreed upon

integrated advising system, which includes measures of accountability and a

unified education program for advisors (2015)

Initiative: Lower the cost of books for students

Book costs are one of the major rising costs for students at UofL. Many ways to deal

with this issue include educating professors on the cheapest books to purchase,

developing book swap programs between students, and keeping all members of the

UofL community aware of the issue.

Goal: Create a campaign to share with department chairs to raise awareness of

book costs and the burden this places on students (2011)

Goal: Develop a formal partnership between SGA and a discount textbook

vendor (2012)

Goal: Create sustainable campus-wide book swap program (2013)

Initiative: Develop Consistency in the Faculty Grading Policy

Many students are upset with the inconsistency in the grading policy. Depending on the

professor, students taking the same class and get the same numerical score end up

with a different letter grade. Student Government will work with faculty to develop

consistency methods.

Goal: Ensure course level consistency for +/- grading system (2012)

Initiative: Define how to be a Successful U of L Student

When students first come to the University of Louisville, they have no idea what it takes

to succeed here. The general education courses that each respective college has are

great opportunities to teach how to be a successful student.

Goal: Overhaul current Gen 101 programs to create an integrated course that

explains academic services at UofL like Career Development Center, REACH,

facilities, etc. (2014)

Student Services

Student Services, SGA Services Vice-President

The very nature of college suggests that students are in an atmosphere that mimics the

convenience of a home environment. Quality and convenience of services are not only

encouraged by students, but required in order to provide the best student experience

available. The Plan suggests many different ways the university can improve the quality

of its services for students.

Initiative: Improve Campus Safety

The safety of our students at the University of Louisville is one of the most important

roles of leaders at our institution, Student Government included. We will work to

develop and strengthen several programs to improve student safety on campus.

Goal: Improve Escort System Efficiency (2011)

Goal: Incentivize students to get RAVE or the university equivalent (2014)

Goal: Highlighted campus walkways (2016)

Goal: 50-55 DPS officers on campus (2020)

Initiative: Increase Student Parking

As students continue to commute to the University of Louisville and have hometowns

outside of Louisville, a location to park cars and other vehicles remains important.

Student Government is committed to pushing for new parking structures on campus.

Goal: New Parking Garage for West Side of Campus (2013)

Goal: Develop integrative system for bike usage on campus (2015)

Initiative: Improve Dining Services

Dining services is important to students. Students request that if we must pay for dining

services, then we must receive as many quality options for healthy, affordable food and

services as possible.

Goal: Fully Developed Meal Plan Transfer System (2011)

Goal: Student Usage of Meal Card off campus (2014)

Goal: Farmer’s Market on Belknap Campus (2015)

Initiative: Improve Sustainability Measures

Using energy efficiency is a new issue that has become a central focus for UofL. In an

effort to improve student awareness of the issue and make our campus cleaner, SGA

will work to develop programs to make our campus more sustainable.

Goal: Develop Campus-wide Recycling Program (2012)

Goal: A-rating for Student Involvement on Green Report Card (2014)

Goal: Develop integrative system for bike usage on campus (2015)

Initiative: Improve Student Health Services

Starting in June, Student Health Services will be located to Cardinal Station on

street. Student Government is committed to working with Student Health to make

sure we benefit as best we can from this move.

Goal: Determine the relationship between student health programming and

SGA (2011)

Student Engagement

The culture of campus is defined differently by different students. In the surveys taken

that helped develop this student plan mainly revolved around issues concerning

diversity initiatives, athletics excitement, student programs, spirit and traditions and

engagement. The Plan provides opportunities for development in these areas.

Initiative: Develop a formal body of RSO representation in SGA

Each student at UofL indentifies more closely with different groups than others. Since

SGA is the chief advocate for student concerns, it is important that the structure of SGA

is able to best reflect its constituency. In order to do that, a different representative

must be established.

Goal: Formal Body in SGA that represents underrepresented groups

(commuters, RSOs, etc.) (2013)

Initiative: Enhance Student Programming/Support CPC and SAB funding

The same way students indentify differently, so too do we want different programming.

SAB must be able to provide programming for general student fanfare; RSOs must have

the financial support to provide funding that is particular to their constituency.

Goal: Establish list of “Cardinal Events” for traditional excitement. Include non-

SAB events (2011)

Goal: Develop program to help RSOs plan events and spend money

wisely (2012)

Goal: Increase IFC, Panhellenic and NPHC Greek membership to 20% of the

student population (2020)

Initiative: Establish a UofL Concert Series

Every year students complain about not having concerts from nationally recording

artists. Student Government will develop, and commit to providing the resources to

establishing a concert series program on campus.

Goal: Create a concert RSO (2011)

Goal: Host first concert (2013)

Goal: Become profitable (2015)

Initiative: Enhance UofL Spirit and Traditions

The “fanhood” for spirit and traditions at a university is one of the most important

aspects of improving student life. With a student body that is passionate about the

student experience, it will be very beneficial to improving services, classroom quality

and other issues. Therefore, there is a full list of programs and initiatives student

government is going to launch in the coming years.

Goal: Start a Cash Cab like program to improve spirit and traditions on UofL

basketball and football game days (2011)

Goal: Create a Sprit and Traditions book highlighting UofL traditions that will be

available in the UofL Bookstore for purchase (2012)

Goal: Festival Seating at Basketball Games (2012)

Goal: Annual sports games apparel that all students wear to basketball and

football games (2013)

Goal: Establish better basketball and football game student tailgate areas and

shuttle services (2014)

Goal: Sport Administration Scholarship Program to promote the relationship

between the student body and students athletics. This program will also highlight

our Sport Administration program, which is one of the best in the country. These

students will also work specifically on spirit initiatives, the ticket lottery and other

initiatives. (2014)

Goal: All students will know the UofL Fight Songs, Alma Mater and CARDS

Cheer (2020)

Initiative: Improve Alumni Program

When students graduate, they become alumni. Our alumni relations are a great way to

develop a stronger relationship with past students, potential donors and the ever

expanding UofL community to improve the student experience.

Goal: Among university administration, SGA, and the Alumni Association,

develop an agreed upon model for student and alumni relations (2011)

Initiative: Increase Civic and Community Engagement

Students at UofL have always been interested in serving the community and being

active in political activities. Student Government is a great avenue for vehicle for

political action at the student level; SGA also wants to incorporate community

engagement in the student experience.

Goal: Create a culminating, comprehensive service project for UofL students

that works in conjunction with Book-in-Common, Ideas 2 Action, and other UofL

service initiatives (2014)

Goal: Improve SGA election turnout to 50% of UofL student population (2020)