Junior Sam Levin is a public health major, minoring in psychology and management, who was elected on March 19 as Undergraduate Student Government president for the 2017-18 academic year. He currently serves on USG as the executive vice president. He is now looking ahead to next year and planning changes he hopes will benefit Tulane’s student body. The Hullabaloo spoke with Levin about his experiences in student government and how he plans to improve USG in the upcoming academic year.

Why did you want to serve as the USG President?

I love Tulane, and I am proud to be a part of this community. I hope to use my past experience to improve Tulane and make USG a space for all students to voice their concerns. I want to use my term as USG President to continue to help students as I have for the past three years.

What experiences in USG and at Tulane have most prepared you for this position?

In addition to my involvement in USG, I think that being an active member in other organizations plays an important role in preparing me for this new position. I have enjoyed my time in USG, but my constant involvement in the Tulane community allowed me to gain a holistic perspective of Tulane and gave me new ways to look at USG.

What are the most significant changes to campus policy you hope to make as President?

I hope to create more engaging events for student surrounding major issues on campus. I have a significant list of changes to be made, but here are a few projects that I will definitely focus on: I would like to improve the absence policy for student athletes, take steps to provide support for survivors of sexual violence, continue to make mental health services more available for students both on and off campus and recognize how mental health looks different for people of all different backgrounds, and make USG a more inclusive space.

What do you feel like are the most pressing issues facing Tulane’s campus for the upcoming academic year?

I see the most pressing issues for the upcoming year as improving sexual violence prevention, diversity and inclusiveness on campus. Not only are these pressing issues for campus, but USG plans to put them at the top of our agenda for the next year. USG can be a catalyst for change by supporting the work of students who already make moves toward massive culture changes every day.

What can students expect from USG as a whole in the upcoming year?

This upcoming year the students can expect a more transparent and approachable USG that builds upon and continues the work from this previous year. One way we plan to do this is by publishing committee meeting minutes on our website for all students to see. We also plan to improve our presence on campus by tabling and creating forms for students to submit suggestions and ideas. Finally, we plan to make more action steps for USG projects to know exactly where we succeeded and where we need to improve. We will actively work to include voices of all students previously excluded from USG.

For students who want to get involved with creating and implementing campus initiatives and policy, what steps should they take to do so?

We are currently reviewing cabinet appointments, and senator elections are coming up next week. After this process, it will be much easier to get involved and students can most easily participate in implementing campus initiatives by signing up for committees, which we will release during the Fall Activities Expo. More immediately, if you want to get involved or start working on a project, send USG an email at [email protected].

Do you have any advice for students who are new to USG or who would like to be involved in the future?

Don’t be afraid to reach out. Everyone on USG is a student striving to help make Tulane a better place. Also, any student can join USG committees, so be sure to do so. Information on committee descriptions and responsibilities as well as opportunities for participation will be available in the fall.

Do you have anything else you would like to add?

If you want to get involved make sure to apply for USG Cabinet. We have multiple spots open, and you can find the application here. The applications are due this Friday at 4 p.m. I am so excited to start this next great step with USG. There is a lot of work ahead, but I am confident that this year we will continue to push our student body forward. Roll Wave!

Click here to read the second installment in The Hullabaloo’s USG Q&A series.