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Friday, March 29, 2024
<p>Elise Mills, 18, a first year biology student learns about the Challenge Party platform which includes subsidizing private tutoring and lower the cost of online classes.</p>

Elise Mills, 18, a first year biology student learns about the Challenge Party platform which includes subsidizing private tutoring and lower the cost of online classes.

Student Government political parties met with students to come up with campaign platform ideas Thursday.

Challenge Party released its platform Thursday. Impact Party released its full platform Friday. Inspire Party release its platform Sunday.

Challenge Party released its entire platform on social media Thursday.

Janae Moodie, who is running for Student Body president, said Challenge would like to pilot an online sexual assault reporting program, which will track reported sexual assault on campus and ensure privacy in reporting.

“We’re hoping this will ultimately make our campus more safe for students,” Moodie said.

Impact released its first five platform points through social media Wednesday and and five platform points Thursday.

Omarley Spence, Impact president, said the party wants to focus on diversity by revitalizing the Student Government Diversity and Programming Committee under the executive branch.

“That’s going to be an amazing program that’s going to focus on all of the different ideas that would focus on diversity,” Spence said.

Spence said he’s excited to advocate for online students in the Pathway to Campus Enrollment program and Innovation Academy programs when they’re away in the Fall. He suggested creating virtual office hours with Student Body executives.

“We realized that there’s not a huge platform for students that may not be on campus,” Spence said. “It will be a revolutionary step to engaging with students on a whole other level.”

Nick Poindexter was approached by Impact while walking to the Reitz Union.

The UF electrical engineering junior said he stopped to ask them to lobby for a better student health care plan. After he dislocated his left shoulder two weeks ago when he fell from the bleachers at a gymnastics meet, he needed an MRI that would cost him about $1,300 after the copay.

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“I know that they have the ability to lobby with the health care provider on our behalf to make that plan better,” the 20-year-old said.

Ashley Grabowski, Inspire’s campaign manager, said they expect to release their official platform next week. She said they’ve seen about 300 students each day.

Grabowski said students have talked about online voting, Multicultural and Diversity Affairs and more dance space for UF dancers.

“We definitely want to make sure we’re advocating for all students across campus,” Grabowski said.

Released Platform Points

Impact Party:

  • Introduce a textbook donation and rental program
  • Promote the African American Studies Program to departmental status
  • Implement virtual office hours with Student Body executives
  • Develop a scholarship for caps and gowns cost
  • Launch a financial literacy program with the Student Financial Affairs Office
  • Revitalize SG’s Diversity and Programming Committee
  • Lobby for Bright Futures funding for Innovation Academy students
  • Expand SG programming for Gator ROTC and veteran students
  • Implement a grant program for innovative student-driven projects
  • Fight for the Clean Dream Act
  • Bimonthly student government meetings with city officials and police to address local issues
  • More Halal and Kosher food options on campus for Muslim and Jewish students
  • Implement live capacity updates at Southwest Recreation Center and the Student Recreation Center
  • Expand free printing across campus and residence halls
  • Provide two-ply toilet paper on campus

Challenge Party:

  • Offer student legal services for undocumented students
  • Create a Living Learning Community for LGBTQ+ students
  • Launch a minority recruitment program
  • Increase accessible parking for the Disability Resource Center
  • Subsidize off-campus tutoring services
  • Implement a waitlist system for full classes
  • Lobby for fee waivers for graduate students
  • Pilot virtual medical services for after-hours care
  • Revitalize the International Peer Support Program through the Counseling & Wellness Center
  • Pilot a secure online sexual assault reporting program
  • Broaden accessibility to menstrual hygiene products across campus
  • Expand free printing to libraries
  • Lobby to extend nightlife hours one hour after last call
  • Implement online voting similar to other SEC schools
  • Promote the use of reusable water bottles through on-campus discounts
  • Advocate for more vegan and vegetarian options

Inspire Party:

  • Replace memorials of “hate” with those of civil rights and social justice
  • Provide an online voting option for student elections
  • Open an Undocumented Students Resource Center
  • Offer free menstrual hygiene products in all campus bathrooms and $10 Plan B pills in vending machines
  • Start an on-campus farmer’s market, offer dining options that can use an app for ordering, capabilities for extended dining hours at the Reitz Union food court
  • Create programs for students who need help adjusting to campus
  • Allow students to vote for which 24/7 library they prefer and open it, repair and install new electrical outlets in libraries
  • Allow unused free prints to roll over from previous semesters
  • Open more designated dance and dance storage spaces
  • Advocate for accessible free rape kits, implement Callisto, a sexual assault reporting program
  • Conduct a study on American Disabilities Act compliance issues, create an online form for disabled students to place accommodation requests
  • Expand mental health resources available for students, offer training for faculty and staff on recognizing survivors of mental illness, sexual assault, domestic violence, etc.
  • Introduce a gender-inclusive residence hall
  • Advocate for UF to join the University Climate Change Coalition and support the Office of Sustainability's plan to be carbon-neutral by 2025
  • Advocate for more student parking
  • Advocate for graduate students to be able to opt out of paying fees for some programs
  • End unfair labor practices on campus

Clarification: This article has been updated to reflect that Impact released five points Wednesday and five points Thursday.

Contact Christina Morales at cmorales@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @Christina_M18

Elise Mills, 18, a first year biology student learns about the Challenge Party platform which includes subsidizing private tutoring and lower the cost of online classes.

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