The Student Voice Forum teaches us how our voice matters
On Oct. 10 UVUSA hosted a Student Voice Forum to educate their fellow students on the power of their voice and the resources available to them.
Student Voice is a campaign run by the academic senate branch of the UVUSA and aims to give “a unique way for students to let their voice be heard.” The current vice president of the academic senate, Mackenzie Jones Womack, organized the forum to educate students about resources and events that let students be heard. With guest speakers like the Multicultural Center and UVUSA president Zac Whitlock, the forum shared how student feedback has affected the university.
In an interview with Womack, she shared that the suggestion box is a major aspect of that. She stated that she receives around two to three suggestions a week, amounting to 400 over a semester. Womack then brings these suggestions to the student council where they reach the “highest levels of UVU’s administration” and help determine what they can accomplish for the students. Womack expressed that they constantly want student feedback, anything from suggestions to simple comments so that they can better help.
The forum also discussed several events where both the community and students can come together to make an impact. One that was shared by Whitlock is the Utah College Day of Service, which was held on Oct. 14, 2023. This event presented a unified effort from each university across Utah to create a service project that will be meaningful to the local community. UVUSA invited students to bring sports equipment to donate at the event. For more information on the program, please visit them on Instagram, @utah_college_day_of_service.
The academic senate plans to hold more events like this throughout the semester and continue to teach students about different aspects of university life.