By: Jaeda Goode
Southern’s Student Association (SA) Senate is putting the spotlight on student voices with its new “You Matter” initiative, which encourages students to speak up to help shape campus life.
The initiative, launched on Aug. 24, is an online forum created for students to anonymously vocalize their ideas about what they would like to see happen on campus. Heidi Burke, a junior history major and first-year senator, stated that she wants this platform to help everyone contribute and make their voices heard, whether they are outspoken or shy.
“To be able to tell students they matter, we have to first make sure they do matter,” Burke said. “We have to first make sure there are avenues for their voices to be heard very clearly.”
According to Burke, students could previously print and hand deliver a form to the SA president if they wished to present ideas. However, she believes this method could deter students who would prefer to make suggestions anonymously.
Burke also explained that the name “You Matter” reinforces the idea that the students’ voices are the reason Senate exists.
“The phrase ‘You Matter’ to students is almost a simplification, like [they] are the fundamental core of why Senate exists,” Burke said.
Arianne Milosavljevic, a senior nursing and international studies major, who serves as chair of Senate’s Social Committee, spoke about Senate’s dedication to the student body and how the initiative is a way to encourage student involvement in Senate.
“We’re trying to get students involved in realizing that you can vote for stuff, you can ask things, you can change things,” she said.
Milosavljevic also expressed that she wants students to think about the changes they want to see on campus and use their voices, even if their suggestions cannot become reality.
“I want students to be able to feel like they have agency—that they can actually do something and their voice matters,” she said.
Brianna Pubien, a junior nursing major, believes the forum will be a good way to bridge the communication gap between Senate and the student body.
“If you have direct communication, then you could see what everybody needs,” Pubien stated.
Eri Jorge, a junior computer science major, thinks some students may not have adequate time to use the forum.
“I personally wouldn’t use the suggestion box, but that’s just because I don’t have time in my day,” he said.
Jorge also shared his belief that students may be more likely to speak up when presented with potential problems or solutions, instead of voicing their opinions unprompted.
As the “You Matter” initiative is being introduced, Burke encourages students to make their voices heard by seeking out the online forum. The forum can be accessed by going to the SA Senate page on Southern Adventist University’s website and clicking the link under “project proposals.”
