Our Vision for UF

Student Life

One of Student Government's top priorities should be improving all aspects of student life on our campus. Students deserve a voice in the important decisions our university makes, and SG should also work to bring new services to UF while making our university even more respected across the country. The Student Alliance will accomplish all of these goals and more, increasing student involvement and making their visions for change a reality.

  • Bring video rental machines to campus. The Student Alliance will bring Redbox or Blockbuster $1 DVD rental machines to the Reitz Union, Hub, and other campus locations. In addition to providing affordable movie rentals, this will generate revenue that can be directed back to students.
  • Increase participation in national politics. The Student Alliance fully supports Early Vote on Campus in their efforts to change state law to gain an early voting site on campus for local, state, and national elections.
  • Lift open container ordinances. Our party will work with the city and UF administration to lift open container ordinances on campus for home games.
  • Set up translation help at Student Legal Services. International students who are currently learning English are at an increased risk of entering into predatory contracts and leases. The Student Alliance will create translation services at Student Legal Services to protect students speaking English as a second language.
  • Expand internship opportunities for SG contracts. The Student Alliance will work to ensure that UF students are granted internship opportunities on all major jobs contracted by SG or the University, giving students valuable real-world experience.
  • Stop licensed Gator apparel from being made in sweatshops. 186 public and private education institutions have already affiliated with the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC), a well-respected monitoring organization that would help ensure that University of Florida apparel is not being produced in sweatshops. Our party supports Gators for a Sweatshop Free Campus in their efforts to encourage UF to join the WRC and a take a stand for human rights, all at no cost to students.
  • Sponsor a higher education think tank. The Student Alliance will join with the Faculty Senate to create a higher education think tank on campus, bringing students and faculty together to develop in-depth policy solutions for the biggest issues facing our university and education in the state of Florida.
  • Establish and maintain an official budget cut task force. With budget cuts being made across the university, students deserve a voice in the important questions affecting our future. Our party will establish a University Budget Cut Task Force, which will examine all university budget cuts and make student voices heard by the administration.

Food Service

Our university's food service is one of the areas that needs the most improvement. With a monopoly on campus that excludes outside vendors, UF's food quality is on the decline while prices are constantly rising. The Student Alliance will reverse this trend, working to lower prices on campus while also expanding choices for all students.

  • Fight to end the campus food service monopoly. Aramark, known for its poor quality and unfair practices, is currently the only company allowed to operate food service establishments at UF. The Student Alliance will work to end this monopoly, giving students more options and driving down prices.
  • Stop Aramark's predatory business practices. Significant evidence exists that Aramark decreases quality of food throughout the semester, encouraging students to use less of their meal plans. They also have been known to use different food for Preview, essentially tricking students into buying meal plans. The Student Alliance will fight these practices, informing incoming students about meal plans and protecting them from Aramark's predatory behavior.
  • Expand hot lunch options on campus. Currently, hot lunches are only available in the core of UF's campus. The Student Alliance will work to bring hot lunch options to the Law School, Health Science Center, and other areas outside center of the campus, similar to the Little Hall Express.
  • Provide cheaper soft drinks. Our party will negotiate with Pepsi and our other soft drink providers to lower the cost of drink machines on campus, giving students cheaper soda, Gatorade, and other drinks.
  • Decrease the cost of food on campus. Recently, the Food Service Advisory Committee, including the Unite Party spokesman, voted to increase the cost of student meal plans. The Student Alliance will reverse this decision, and will work to control the rising cost of food on campus.

Technology

Technology is a key part of the university experience here at UF. However, there is much that can be improved to make life easier and improve computing on campus. The Student Alliance will expand free printing, simplify our online services, and improve computing resources across UF.

  • Create free printing across campus. The Student Alliance will work to place Student Government-funded printers in residence halls and libraries, where students can use free printing without waiting in long lines.
  • Expand the current SG print lab. The 30 minute lines at the SG print lab are completely unacceptable for students. Our party will expand the print lab into currently underutilized spaces in the Reitz Union, giving more students the ability to print while also reducing the wait. We will also work to eliminate the ten-page, five megabyte limit for printing.
  • Switch Webmail to Gmail. The Student Alliance supports moving our campus email to Gmail, a money-saving change already made by institutions like the University of Arizona. Switching to Google's service for academic institutions will allow students to keep @ufl.edu address while taking advantage of Google's integrated calendar and other features.
  • Improve UF's wireless coverage. Currently, several gaps exist in our campus WiFi network, and internet access is also extremely slow at choke points such as large classrooms. Our party will join with Computing and Network Services to close gaps and increase bandwidth in the campus wireless network, including at Turlington and Carleton Auditorium.
  • Expand UF's server capacity. Our party will work with Academic Technology, DHNet, and other computing departments to expand the capacity of UF's servers. This will help avoid crashes on ISIS, housing websites, and other high-demand services.
  • Simplify student computing. The Student Alliance will work with the administration to integrate ISIS and myUFL into a more seamless system, making registration and campus finances easier for students.

Safety and Transportation

Student Government can strongly affect the quality of safety and transportation on campus. The Student Alliance will work with local law enforcement, SNAP, RTS, and Transportation and Parking Services to improve safety and increase transportation options on campus.

  • Expand SNAP on campus. The Student Alliance will fund two additional Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol (SNAP) vans and create a GPS tracking system, which will allow for faster dispatching, save gas, and dramatically reduce wait times.
  • Increase lighting on campus. Our party will lead an effort to expand nighttime lighting to the pitch-black areas of campus, adding both more blue lights and safety lighting.
  • Have police that protect us, not punish us. The Student Alliance will work with the Gainesville Police Department and Alachua County Sheriff's Office to increase their nighttime safety presence after clubs and bars close. Our party will push local police to deter violent crime, instead of cracking down on students.
  • Create more bus shelters. Our party will collaborate with RTS and campus transportation officials to provide more bus stop shelters, keeping students dry on their way to class.

Sustainability Issues

The Student Alliance strongly believes that with sustainability, Student Government should lead by example. The first bill ever submitted by the Student Alliance made SG's copy center more sustainable, and we will continue these efforts to make the University of Florida a green campus.

  • Make Student Government printing more sustainable. While our legislation to make SG's copy center more green was a first step, there is much more we can do to make SG printing environmentally friendly. The Student Alliance will work to increase the amount of post-consumer content in all SG-purchased paper, and will also spearhead efforts to make our campus print labs less wasteful.
  • Bring a farmers' market to campus. Our party will work with local farmers' markets to bring a twice-monthly market to the Plaza of the Americas. Locally-grown food is better for the environment and will help support our local economy.
  • Bring clean energy to UF. The Student Alliance will establish a Solar Energy Initiative to bring solar energy solutions to the Reitz Union and RecSports facilities, which will save on energy costs and lead the rest of the university in efforts to make UF a green campus.
  • Reduce energy waste on campus. Our party will lead an effort to bring more motion-sensor lighting to campus, which will save student money while also making our campus more sustainable.
  • Switch university documents to email. Many university documents sent through traditional mail could easily be sent through email, and the Student Alliance will work to give students that choice. When combined with more efforts to switch UF to paperless billing, our party will work to dramatically decrease the amount of paper waste created by our university.
  • Expand student-run gardens. Currently, there is only a limited amount of space for student gardens by Lake Alice. The Student Alliance will work to expand the space for these gardens, giving students the ability to grow their produce.

Student Government Reform

Student Government should be working for all students, not just themselves. With waste in excess of $1 million dollars, it's clear that SG is in need of change. The Student Alliance will return Student Government to you, increasing participation, expanding programming, and saving student funds.

  • Bring online voting to UF. The Student Alliance will switch to secure online voting for Student Government elections, using students' Gatorlink usernames and passwords. This will dramatically increase voter turnout, and the same software can be used for other campus-wide services.
  • Cut $1 million in wasteful spending. Our party has identified over $1 million in wasteful spending in the Student Government budget. This waste includes thousands in perks for SG officials and over an $800,000 gift to the university administration. Our party will give this money back to students.
  • Audit Student Government. The Student Alliance will hire a major auditing firm to conduct an independent audit of the Student Government budget, freeing up wasted funds and giving money back to students. Our party will also use UF accounting interns to assist in the project, giving students important real-world experience.
  • Stop abuses of trips for SG officials. Currently, Student Government officials use thousands of dollars in student fees to pay for trips to "scout performance talent," attending big concerts on your dime. They also go on "lobbying trips," where more time is spent sightseeing than working for students. The Student Alliance will make SG officials fully account for their expenses and use of time when traveling, and will also end "talent scouting" trips entirely.
  • Create an SGP/ACCENT endowment. Our party will work to create a dedicated endowment for ACCENT and Student Government Productions to bring speakers and performers to campus at no cost to students. This change would make SGP/ACCENT self-sufficient and would free up an additional $1 million from the budget. Donations will be solicited from UF alumni and the University Athletics Association. The Student Alliance also has the experience to create this type of program, which mirrors an successful initiative at UNC-Chapel Hill founded by our vice presidential candidate, Sagar Sane.
  • Use online surveys to pick performers and speakers. The Student Alliance will reform ACCENT and Student Government Productions by creating online surveys that allow students to vote on what performances and speakers they want to see on campus, doing everything we can to make student choices a reality.
  • Put SG voting records online. The Student Alliance will bring transparency and accountability to Student Government by making every voting record public and online. We will also work to put video of Senate meetings online for students to watch.
  • Eliminate elite VIP tickets. Currently, Student Government gives out front-row VIP tickets to friends off officials in SGP and ACCENT. The Student Alliance will give these tickets away in a lottery, giving every student a chance to get the best seats in the house.
  • Create an independent ethics commission. The Student Alliance will create an independent ethics commission in Student Government to ensure that SG officials are truly working for you.
  • Fire the ineffective SG lobbyists. Student Government spends $55,000 every year on part-time lobbyists that have failed to protect Bright Futures and have failed to stand up for student rights. Our party will fire these lobbyists, and we will be a strong voice for students in city, state, and national politics, bringing students to Tallahassee to make a stand for Bright Futures.

Academics

Student Government has the ability to spearhead reforms for academics at our university, but in the past has failed to stand up for students. The Student Alliance will work to bring positive changes to our university, making textbooks cheaper, providing more information to students, and increasing study space on campus.

  • Create programs for free course materials. The Student Alliance will create an SG-funded grant program to encourage UF departments to adopt free online textbooks and podcast lectures, like MIT did with its OpenCourseWare program.
  • Create an online textbook trading/sales system. The Student Alliance will create an SG-sponsored system to trade, buy, and sell used textbooks online for UF students. This system will be easy to use and will provide students with real savings on one of the most expensive parts of college.
  • Reduce wait times for academic advisors. The Student Alliance will work with UF's administration to create an online system for making academic advising appointments, eliminating hours-long waits at Farrior Hall and other advising centers.
  • Create new study and creative spaces. The Student Alliance will partner with companies such as Google and Apple to set up innovative spaces across campuses. These new spaces will create more locations to study and will give them the tools to succeed with creative projects.
  • Make existing study spaces more accessible. Our party will work with the university's libraries to set up an online booking system for reserving rooms at Library West. This will decrease wait times and make study rooms easier to use.
  • Post class sizes online. The Student Alliance will work with the Office of the University Registrar to make class size caps public on ISIS, giving students more information during drop/add and letting them know how big their classes are.
  • Create more classes for non-majors. Many students are forced into major or minor programs just to take the classes they want. The Student Alliance will try to make more classes, such as fine arts classes, open to all students.
  • Extend nighttime hours of academic study spaces. By extending the hours of buildings such as Gerson Hall and the Law Library that feature study spaces for students, the Student Alliance will reduce the overcrowding of popular areas like Library West.
  • Officially support lecture notes. Einstein's Notes is currently being sued by textbook publisher Faulkner Press, an attempt to restrict the right to compile and sell lecture notes. The Student Alliance believes that lecture notes are not only an important study tool for students but an example of fair use that must be protected, and will work to protect students' rights to buy lecture notes for their classes.
  • Create new spaces from underutilized areas. It can be very difficult for students to find places to meet and study in Library West during peak hours. The Student Alliance will help solve this problem by working with our libraries to convert unused areas of Library East into student meeting and study space.

Campus Finances

With the rising cost of attendance here at UF, students are in an increasingly tight spot. Fees are on the rise, and students are constantly being nickel and dimed by the administration. The Student Alliance has innovative ideas to save students money while making campus finances easier and giving students valuable real-world experience.

  • Start a student-run credit union at UF. The Student Alliance will spearhead an effort to establish a student-run federal credit union, like those currently at the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University. Campus credit unions offer lower fees and better returns for accounts than traditional banks. This will also create many new student jobs, allowing Gators to gain practical business experience while saving student money.
  • Make campus finances easier. The University Financial Services has stopped accepting cash payments for tuition, academic fees, overdue books, and CIRCA lab charges. Payments must now be made with an EFT transfer or with a Credit Card Charge with a fee. The Student Alliance thinks that University Financial Services should accept cash payments.
  • Reduce transcript and other document fees. Recently, the University Registrar has started charging $6 for official transcripts. The Student Alliance will work with the Registrar's Office to reduce the cost for transcripts. There is no reason it should be difficult for students to apply for jobs and more advanced degrees.
  • Expand off-campus Gator1 partnerships. Our party will reach out to off-campus vendors to set up Gator1 programs similar to the one currently at Target Copy, making finances easier for students to handle.

Reitz Union and RecSports

In the past, Student Government has taken a hands-off approach to the Reitz Union and RecSports. However, this has led to wasteful spending across the board and, in the case of the Reitz Union, over $42 million in neglected repairs. The Student Alliance will take a more direct approach with the Reitz Union and RecSports, creating additional oversight and improving student services at UF.

  • Repair the Reitz Union without a new student fee. Over $1 million is wasted in the current Student Government budget. The Student Alliance will redirect that money to pay for repairs to the J. Wayne Reitz Union at absolutely no additional cost to students.
  • Reform the Reitz Union leadership. The current management of the Reitz Union has consistently failed to be responsive to students' needs. They have also failed to plan out foreseeable repairs, creating the millions in new costs we face now. The Student Alliance will return the student union to the students, creating additional oversight to ensure that our union remains a core part of the UF campus experience.
  • Create online signups for RecSports. The Student Alliance will put an end to 6 AM lines at Southwest Rec by creating an online system for RecSports sign-ups. This will help make enrollment in fitness classes and intramural team captains' meetings easier for all students.
  • Create cheap gym parking. Our party will work with Parking and Transportation Services to set up affordable metered parking at SW Rec and the Cultural Plaza area so off-campus students can go to the gym without buying an expensive general parking decal.
  • Create multipurpose space at the Reitz. Our party will work to create a multipurpose space for student performance artists at the Reitz Union or elsewhere in the core of campus.
  • Increase basketball courts at SW Rec. The Student Alliance will work with leaders in RecSports to increase the number of basketball courts at Southwest Rec, including new outside courts.
  • Provide better equipment at the bike shop. SG bike shop employees have stressed the need for better, more modern equipment, but the Unite Party has only promised superficial changes. The Student Alliance will improve equipment at the bikeshop and introduce better pay for our student employees.
  • Create a scooter repair shop at the Reitz Union. The Student Alliance will establish an SG-funded scooter repair shop, just like the current bike repair shop, giving students low-cost scooter repair and giving an alternative to cars on campus.

Graduate Issues

Graduate students are one of the most underrepresented groups on our campus. They teach our classes and do our research, but Student Government fails to listen to their needs. The Student Alliance will be a voice for all students, especially our graduates, and will continue to fight for their interests both in the Senate and on the Board of Trustees.

  • Reduce fees for graduate students. The constant increase of student fees are making the cost of being a UF graduate student too high for many students. Our party promises to work with UF's administration to lower fees for graduate students, who teach our classes and do the research that keeps this university afloat. We also oppose the current form of the Reitz Union fee (see Reitz Union and RecSports).
  • Ensure GAs are paid a living wage. The Student Alliance will work to guarantee that Graduate Assistants are treated fairly, and that their cost-of-living adjustment keeps pace with increases in their expenses.
  • Expand support of grad research. The Student Alliance will double the amount of money given to the Graduate Student Council for travel and research grants.
  • Protect graduate students at our campus. The Student Alliance will support a Graduate Students' Bill of Rights in both the Senate and the Board of Trustees in order to protect grad students and ensure they are treated fairly by advisors and the administration.

Student Organizations

Student organizations are a core part of the campus experience here at UF. However, Student Government currently creates many roadblocks to the success of these groups. The Student Alliance promises to bring SG in a new direction, helping student groups and making the budgeting process easier. We will also work to increase organizational space on campus, giving every group a place to meet and achieve their goals.

  • Shorten SG finance training. The Student Alliance promises to fix the dysfunctional SG Finance training program. We will exempt students who have gone through the training from ever having to do it again, and we will limit the length of trainings to one hour or less.
  • Increase choice for student groups. In the past, student groups have been forced under so-called "umbrella organizations" by Student Government, even to the detriment of the group's goals. The Student Alliance will allow groups to freely choose whether to be separately funded or to be part of an umbrella organization.
  • Make meeting space easier to reserve. The Student Alliance will work directly with the University Registrar's office to put their room reservation system online and integrate it with the online system currently used by Reitz Union Event Services.
  • Speed up the SAR process. Our party promises to speed up the Student Activity Requisition (SAR) process so student organizations don't wait weeks for funding. After the Haiti earthquake, humanitarian assistance groups on campus had to wait to conduct Haiti-related programing because of unacceptable delays. We will make SG finance more responsive and allow organizations to submit SARs closer to their events. We will also provide students reimbursement options such as EFT's or Electronic Funds Transfers so that their money is directly deposited into their bank accounts, eliminating the time spent picking up a check and depositing it in person.
  • Build an Asian-American Cultural Center. Our party will work to designate the soon-to-be-vacated University Press building behind Chipotle north of University Avenue as the future site of an Asian American Cultural Center. The Student Alliance will work with UF Students for Building Dreams to ensure that the Asian American community has a space of its own.