President Taylor Eighmy recently launched his Student Advisory Council in hopes to gain a better understanding of students’ perspectives on campus life and get continuous input from them on how to make UTSA a better place for everyone.
Deans and senior officers from every college chose the most outstanding students to apply for a seat on the Council. After applying, a team of staff from the President’s office chose the best of the best to be a part of the Council based on their leadership experiences, academic and co-curricular activities and the breadth of perspectives they brought to the table.
“My aim was to put together a group of student thought leaders who represent a range of backgrounds, viewpoints and experiences,” Eighmy said. “We have students from every college on the Council, including some students based at the Downtown Campus. We also have student athletes, veterans and non-traditional students, as well as students involved in Greek life, residence life and many different campus organizations.”
The Council will be used as a tool for the president to further recognize the students’ opinions about what is happening on campus, as well as keep an ongoing conversation between him and a group of students who represent the student body.
Eighmy heavily values the communication between him and the students of UTSA. He tries to allow as much opportunity for communication as he can through campus events, such as Pizza with the Prez –– an event he holds for the sole purpose of communicating with the student body –– and now the Council.
“Students are the #1 reason for our existence as a university!” Eighmy said. “UTSA’s success depends on their success and the best way to understand students’ evolving needs is to ask them. Data can tell us part of story, but nothing can replace hearing from students directly.”
Eighmy hopes to hold two meetings with the Council this semester. The first one is happening in early March to introduce some ideas regarding to the university’s strategic plan while also proposing that some members sit on task forces and committees connected to the plan. The president also hopes to begin listening to the members experiences at UTSA and open up a dialogue about what works here on campus and what needs to be changed to make student life better at UTSA.
“I’m really looking forward to the new perspectives they will bring to our discussions,” Eighmy said. “One of the most important things I can do as president is listen to our students.”
President Eighmy is looking forward to the help the Council can bring to the university but he also encourages feedback from any student on campus. He plans on holding more casual events to communicate with students next semester. Until then, you can contact him with any questions, concerns or comments by emailing him at [email protected]
