This year Shannon O’Connor (Academic Commissioner) has taken it upon herself to resurrect the President’s Challenge. The challenge was initiated in 1995 to receive student input on how to improve the quality experience at the university. Some previous challenge ideas include the locker assignment system, computer courses for students and a U of C text book list.
The university decided to stop this program last year because it was felt that there was a strong student voice on campus, so the need for this avenue of communication was unnecessary. Shannon O’Connor and the rest of the Students’ Academic Assembly have discussed this issue and decided that it would be discouraging not to see this project continue because many valuable and tangible ideas have emerged from past challenge recipients.
This is why the Students’ Union has decided to take on the President’s Challenge under the new name; the ‘Student Initiative.’ The Student Initiative will follow the same format as the President’s Challenge looking for proposals from the student population on how to improve the quality of their experience at the University of Calgary.
To apply for the Student Initiative you will have to have your application form and a brief proposal complete by January 25th, 2006. The finalists will then be picked and asked to send in a business plan by February 28th, 2006. Finally the presentations and award ceremony will commence on March 6th, 2006. The top three proposals will be presented to the university by the winners and the panel.
Proposals can be submitted by individuals or groups, although groups have to be warned that they will have to split the prizes amongst themselves. The prizes for first, second and third place are cash towards tuition.
I look forwarded to seeing the proposals this year so please come by the Students’ Union office on Monday, November 21st 2005 to pick up you application form!
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at suvpaca@ucalgary.ca or Shannon O’Connor at sswoconn@ucalgary.ca.