Your Execs Attend the Invitational Forum on Leadership Issues (iFli)

A few weeks ago your RHA execs were invited to attend the Invitational Forum on Leadership Issues (iFli) and decided this would be a great opportunity to connect with other student leaders around the campus as well as influential faculty members. Tonight proved that iFli was just that!

As mentioned, iFli consisted of representatives from various student leadership groups on campus, as well as an extensive list of important faculty members, including President Mote. The main focus of the forum was discussing the University's strategic plan. The overall goal of the strategic plan is to enhance every aspect of the University by giving specific bench marks and objectives to achieve these overall aspirations. Your student leaders were broken up according to issues brought up in the strategic plan and brainstormed, with your administrators, ideas of making all of this possible.

An issue that specifically concerns many students living both on and off campus that was discussed is transforming the surrounding community. Your RHA execs gave special voice to advocating for the development of East Campus and improving the Rt.1 area to foster this sense of community. Many students, and visitors, find the the College Park area to be rather sparse concerning the amount of activities available. The development of East Campus would bring along more high-end retail, nicer hotels, a variety of restaurants, entertainment and conference facilities. East Campus has the potential to transform downtown College Park into an admirable area that students and residents of the area could enjoy and take advantage of. Another issue your execs voiced their strong support for was increased housing both on and off campus. In order to embrace a feeling of community, students must feel comfortable in their housing options. Making more housing available to students off campus would help to alleviate the fear of making the transition from on to off campus housing. Additionally, providing more on campus housing would help to meet the strong demand of students who already enjoy living on campus more available. Among the other issues discussed were improving safety on and off campus, re-structuring the CORE general education requirements, and improvements to undergraduate and graduate education. Please take time to view the University's strategic plan at: http://www.sp07.umd.edu/PlanApril29.pdf

If you would like to voice your specific concerns or ideas about the strategic plan, please e-mail us at voice@marylandrha.com

Alicia Hartlove, Public Relations Officer