UC Holds Holds Town Hall on J-Term

The Undergraduate Council hosted the first of what members hope will be many town hall meetings last night, focusing on prospects for student group-led programming over the three-week January Term in future years.

Titled “J-Term: 2010, 2011, and Beyond,” the event featured a panel of student leaders, comprised of Mary K. B. Cox ’10, student president of the Institute of Politics and Richard S. Kelley ’10, student president of the Phillips Brooks House Association.

In addition, UC President Andrea R. Flores replaced Associate Dean of Student Life Joshua McIntosh on the panel. According to Flores, McIntosh felt the town hall’s discussion was better focused on future J-terms, for which the administration has yet to make firm plans.

Flores said that although financial constraints prevent the administration from offering its own programming for this year’s J-term, student groups are another source of potential programming during the break.

“While the budget cuts are happening, the UC is being conscious of what other things we can be doing so that students who want that enrichment [during J-term] can have the opportunity,” she said.

According to Kelley, PBHA is offering two Habitat for Humanity trips this J-term. PBHA plans to increase J-term programming in the future, which may include moving many of its alternative spring break trips to the winter break.

“More people will have the opportunity to travel, to explore and to expand, while doing service,” he said.

Cox suggested that student groups interested in having programming during future J-terms submit proposals to the administration outlining their day-to-day activities.

“We need to convey to the administration that they can trust us,” Cox said, referring to perceived concerns on the part of the administration that idle students on campus during J-term would be disruptive. “Just as student groups during the semester really do amazing stuff on their own, there is really creative stuff that comes from the student body that we can be doing during J-term,” Cox said.

The UC plans to gather a coalition of student group leaders to present proposals for pilot J-term programs in 2011, according to UC Student Life Committee Chair Senan Ebrahim ’12.

Joshua M. Zagorsky ’11, who was granted housing to do research for this year’s J-Term, said he came to last night’s town hall because he was curious about winter break programming options.

“I like that [the UC] has town halls,” Zagorsky said. “It presents the opportunity for people who don’t have the time or ability to be seriously involved in student government to hear information and to give our opinions.

The town hall is one of the UC’s efforts to become more connected with the student body this year, said UC Student Relations Commitee Chair Daniel V. Kroop ’10.

The UC held a launch party last Friday to celebrate another component of this effort, the release of the UC’s official blog “UC Juicy”, as well as official Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Kroop said that non-UC students came to both the town hall and the launch party, which was a good sign.

“It’s a slow and building process that we’re starting,” he said.

—Staff writer Melody Y. Hu can be reached at melodyhu@fas.harvard.edu