After last semester’s decision to restructure, Grand Valley State University’s Student Senate is working to enhance the student experience by supporting campus resources and encouraging community building activities.

Quinten Proctor, the president of Student Senate, is serving his second term. Proctor noted that student feedback prompted the Senate’s goals moving forward this semester. 

“The biggest goal this semester is the broad idea of ensuring that all students have the resources and support they need to succeed at Grand Valley,” Proctor said. “That reflects on the town halls that were hosted in the spring, and concerns from students that there weren’t enough resources.”

Proctor highlighted the University Counseling Center as an area of focus for the Senate, as he believes on-campus resources in high demand could use extra support. Other locations on campus the Senate hopes to support include the GVSU Tutoring and Reading Center and the Mary Idema Pew Library’s Knowledge Market.

Proctor said enhancing various resources for students ties into another focal point of the Senate– building a more vibrant campus culture. 

Following the pandemic, Proctor said GVSU experienced a downtrend in student participation at campus events and student organization membership. Similarly, Proctor noted many students have voiced that a lack of weekend activities leads many to leave campus and return home for the weekend.

“We are finding a way to either partner with Campus Activities Board (CAB), or host events ourselves that try to keep students more engaged,” Proctor said.

The Student Senate hosts general assembly meetings on Thursdays, where senators gather to discuss current issues and new initiatives. Members of the public are welcome to attend. General assembly meetings have two designated time slots, once in the beginning and once at the end, for any attendee to share their feedback with the Senate.

Paris Lawson, the Student Senate vice president, said Senate meetings are a place where students and faculty are encouraged to bring their ideas. 

“As we look to the future, I envision this year’s Senate leaving a legacy of inclusivity and advocacy,” Lawson said. “I hope that the initiatives we are working on today will create a stronger foundation for future students, one where their voices are heard, their needs are met and the campus continues to evolve.”

Proctor said Student Senate allows the University community to be involved in change, and encourages student engagement, even if they are not interested in joining the Senate.

“At the end of the day, the University is here to serve the students,” Proctor said.

In October, representatives from the University Counseling Center will be attending the general assembly meeting to talk about mental health advocacy. This will be an opportunity for the GVSU community to be informed on the state of the Counseling Center, and the needs of the GVSU community.