The student leaders traveling to the Association of Big Ten Students conference in Columbus, Ohio this weekend said they hope to return with new ideas and feedback on current initiatives.
University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) President Christian Ragland and Director of Governmental Affairs Travis Salters said the conference will be a good opportunity to hear criticism and comments from student leaders from other universities on initiatives before they decide to implement them in the fall.
The pair will spend the weekend at the Ohio State University networking, attending workshops and even proposing legislation for the Big Ten student leaders to support, Ragland (senior-political science) said.
Salters (junior-broadcast journalism and African and African-American studies) is currently working to unite all Pennsylvania colleges in the Pennsylvania Student Association — which would work to represent student issues in Harrisburg — and said he is most excited to see if any other state has a similar program.
“If they are, that would be awesome because I could get a lot of tips, advice and help,” Salters said.
Salters said he wants to hear about programs other student governments have put in place to solve issues that Penn State students are facing, like having a voice in the university’s budget process.
For Ragland, the trip isn’t much of a social gathering, but rather a forum to discuss issues like sustainability, town and gown relations and campus safety.
“It’s a good opportunity to get inclined to what’s going on in the Big Ten, because we all face the same issues,” he said.
Ohio State has a subsidized program with the Princeton Review for preparatory classes for the GRE, LSAT, MCAT and other tests, Ragland said — something he would like to implement at Penn State.
Last year, the UPUA delegation passed three pieces of legislation — meaning they got Big Ten support behind some of their initiatives and proposals — and Ragland said he plans to put some new legislation on the table.
But first and foremost, he said he wants to make sure the three issues that were given support — sexual assault, sportsmanship and support for Haiti in the wake of its devastating earthquake — are still being looked at.
This time around, Ragland said he will bring the Office of Sustainability’s pledge to be as eco-friendly as possible and propose legislation based on the pledge.
Other UPUA members said they want to see Salters and Ragland return with fresh ideas and opinions on possible initiatives.
“It’s a great opportunity to see what other student governments have been trying around the Big 10 conference,” said Jessica Pelliciotta (senior-political science), the chairwoman of the UPUA assembly.
And Ragland said that’s what will happen.
“I’m going there with the mindset of getting things done — so we can go into the fall and say this is endorsed by the Big Ten, we need to move forward with this,” he said.