Student Senate hears from Academic Achievement Center, President Megan Handle gives State of Senate address
Student Senate began its Jan. 31 meeting with a presentation by Dr. Elizabeth Fallon and Samantha Metzger of the Academic Achievement Center (AAC).
In their presentation, the pair outlined the purpose, services and recent progress of the center.
The AAC works to create a culture of academic success at Ohio U, and has been a place where students can work with peers to improve learning strategies, prepare for exams, learn time management skills and find a job as one of the center’s tutors, Fallon said. She added that the AAC is one of the largest employers on campus, with about 300 student staff working there.
Fallon explained that this standard of academic success has been met through keeping the services offered for free, meeting students where they are (whether that be in person or online) and using data and feedback to constantly improve and adapt to the student body’s needs.
“We serve all students, on all campuses, at all levels,” Fallon said.
The presentation then moved on to show the AAC’s progress since 2020. Fallon detailed that there has been consistent upward improvement in terms of number of students who have utilized the center and total number of visits to the center. The number of students advanced from 1,316 in the fall of 2020 to 3,838 in the fall of 2023, and the number of visits went from 7,285 in the fall of 2020 to 20,068 in the fall of 2023, according to the presentation. Additionally, the percentage of first and second year students, the AAC’s main student target, jumped from 12% in the fall of 2020 to 38% in the fall of 2023.
After giving its progress updates, Metzger explained each of the programs the AAC offers in depth. Information regarding each of the programs can be found here.
“I’ve heard from many students in spanish classes having trouble booking sessions as they’re all booked up or don’t align with their schedules, how are you going to accommodate students who really need tutoring in a specific subject but are on different schedules than the peer tutoring sessions?” Sen. Maggie Giansante asked.
Metzger responded that Spanish academic support is something the center has been working hard to improve. They have tried to mediate the lack of Spanish peer tutors by offering drop in tutoring which, they explained, is not a permanent solution but is nonetheless a way for students to receive some form of assistance.
Following commission and committee reports, Senate’s President Megan Handle offered her State of Senate address. In her address, Handle summarized the progress made thus far this school year by the Senate.
“This year, I think it's more than fair to say we've gone above and beyond the expectations set for us as a body,” Handle said.
In other business:
The Senate passed a resolution appointing Katherine Watson to an Associate Justice position on the Judicial Panel.
The Senate passed a resolution appointing Clay Lewis to an Associate Justice position on the Judicial Panel.
The Residence Life Commission is working to craft an Automated External Defibrillator implementation bill.
The Residence Life and Environmental Affairs Commission have collaborated in an effort to find more sustainable laundry efforts.
The LGBTQIA+ Affairs Commission is hosting a cookie frosting party on Feb. 14 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Baker Atrium.
The Environmental Affairs Commission is planning an on campus farmers market for late April.
The Black Affairs Commission is hosting a Black History Month event titled “Forward We March” on Feb. 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Walter rotunda.
The Academic Affairs Commission filed a grant application that would provide Patton College students with highly limited resources.
The Governmental Affairs Commission will send Sen. Johnny Susany to the next Athens City Council meeting in hopes of creating a level of contact between City Council and the Senate.