At Case Western Reserve University, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has focused this semester on increasing transparency, improving communication with students and advancing several campus initiatives.
According to David Ampomah, USG’s Vice President of Communications, one of the organization’s primary goals has been making its work more student-centered.
“Our role is really just to advocate for students and to improve student life as much as possible,” he said. “A big part of that is bridging the gap between students and administration.”
To achieve this, USG has expanded its outreach efforts, particularly through social media and email updates. Compared to previous years, the organization has increased the frequency and consistency of its posts to improve student engagement. The communications team has also introduced feedback forms and initiatives like “Feedback Fridays,” allowing students to easily share concerns and suggestions.
Beyond communication efforts, USG’s other committees have implemented other changes on campus. The Student Life Committee, for example, worked to improve the mobile ordering app by adding a map that shows which places accept CaseCash. The update also includes a reporting form for students to notify administration if vendors are not accepting CaseCash as expected.
Other initiatives have focused on student support and accessibility. A winter clothing drive aimed to assist international students who may not have access to winter gear. Meanwhile, concerns about campus Wi-Fi and IT services have been raised to university officials through the Academic Affairs Committee.
While some initiatives have already been implemented, others are still in progress. The Diversity and Inclusion Committee is currently working on a mentorship initiative that would connect undergraduate students with mentors from CWRU’s graduate schools. Additionally, members are exploring the creation of an ad hoc committee focused on social issues such as race, sexual assault and broader campus climate concerns.
Despite these ongoing efforts, Ampomah wishes that USG’s Communication Committee hosted more events for students to connect with each other.
“We’ve been pretty good with initiatives and getting our work out there,” Ampomah said. “But I’d say, on my part, we could have held more events and been more involved in the community in that type of way.”
As a student-led organization, USG members must balance academic responsibilities with representative duties, making it more difficult to effectively carry out changes. Additionally, while administrators are often receptive to student input, financial considerations can affect whether proposals are ultimately accepted.
“It really just depends on the administrator,” Ampomah said. “They’re a lot more receptive toward the [things that we’ve done], but it depends on what it is that they are trying to get done.”
USG emphasizes their collaboration with university administration. Representatives meet regularly with administrators and invite campus leaders to attend general assembly meetings. In fact, on Mar. 17, USG hosted a general assembly with CWRU Chief of Police Paul Owens and Chief of Staff Katie Broncato to discuss upcoming security changes and different steps to improve student safety on campus.
Looking ahead, USG plans to release a comprehensive update outlining everything that they have implemented this past semester. The organization is also preparing for upcoming spring elections, encouraging students interested in advocacy and leadership to get involved.
“[We want] people to know that we are actually here to represent them,”Ampomah said.