Laila & Robert
for UA President & Vice President
Photo credit: Wen Zeng

Community

We want to bring together MIT’s community by creating opportunities for students to discuss shared experiences and interact outside of living groups. We plan to work with faculty to reduce the stress caused by academics, and organize events for students to interact with faculty and administrators in an informal setting.

Mental Health

  • Improve student self-confidence and reduce the stigma around mental health through panels and group discussions on topics such as imposter syndrome, understanding depression, and using MIT’s mental health services
  • Work with SMASH and MIT Medical to improve the efficiency and availability of MIT’s health services
  • Lower the frequency of “hell weeks” by encouraging coordination amongst classes often taken in the same semester

Faculty Relations

  • Implement a training program for faculty advisors so that they are better equipped to provide advice on workloads and careers
  • Help faculty better understand how they can improve student life through grade transparency and accommodating extensions
  • Continue UA-hosted Coffee and Tea with Faculty for students to mix with faculty in an informal setting
  • Encourage departments to host stop-in breakfast or lunch gatherings to allow students to chat with professors in specific fields
  • Initiate student vs. faculty sports games for some friendly competition outside of the classroom

Living at MIT

  • Continue Robert’s work with the 2016 Committee to renovate the student center and transform it into a state of the art space for student gatherings and resources
  • Ensure that any dormitory renovations and additions take into account the diverse cultures on campus and that student voices are heard in the process

Transparency

We plan to take advantage of the Undergraduate Association’s reach to keep students posted on what the administration is working on. By improving the flow of information from the administration to the student body, we can help students’ voices be heard in discussions that affect life at MIT.

Open Communcation

  • Hold town hall style meetings with the administrators involved in key issues as a platform for students to voice their thoughts and concerns
  • Use UA Study Breaks to showcase the work being done by UA Committees and to collect input on their projects

Effective Information Distribution

  • Update the UA website to include an overview of current issues
  • Use the UA’s Facebook and Twitter pages for short posts on progress concerning current issues and who to contact for more information
  • Work with The Tech to provide weekly updates on current projects and what was discussed at Council meetings