A student government committee engaged in initial brainstorming ideas on a campaign regarding the accessibility of cell phone reception across the University of Wisconsin campus.
Assistant Press Office Director for the Associated Students of Madison Grace Bolt described the organization as “students working for students.” She said its mission revolves around student affairs, student issues and helping students to achieve what it is they are seeking to achieve.
Bolt said the University Affairs Committee’s three main campaigns for the academic year focus on mental health, financial literacy and campus safety, the latter of which was the focus of its meeting on Wednesday.
Chair of the cell phone reception branch of the Campus Safety Campaign, Callen Raveret, gave a presentation about the issue of cell phone reception around UW’s campus. He said as a part of the Campus Safety Campaign, the cell phone reception issue addresses the need for increased accessibility to reception around the UW campus, particularly in campus buildings.
Raveret said increasing reception is an extensive process, adding that it involves collaboration with UW, cell phone carriers and the intermediary company providing service through these carriers.
Raveret talked about potential strategies to attacking these issues. He said beginning increasing awareness among the student body is a first step.
“We’re not just giving lip service to it, but we’re presenting a valid message that says this is why we’re so dedicated to what we do,” Raveret said. “We need it to be authentic.”
Raveret and other UAC members brainstormed various goals for the process of increasing cell phone accessibility for the short, long and intermediate terms. They also outlined potential resources to be helpful in attaining these goals and targeted primary final decision makers.
Raveret concluded the session by encouraging the committee to consider potential opponents and allies to the execution of this project, a topic that will be addressed at next week’s meeting.
As a weekly brainstorming session, Wednesday’s meeting did not explicitly define any set plans for this project, Bolt said. She said ideas were brought forth, taken into consideration and might then be used to synthesize a larger strategy as the year progresses.
It is a plan that will gradually develop over weeks of constructive meetings, Bolt added.
