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TEAM SPARK (Danielle Burt for President)

I firmly believe that people want and often need leaders in society to turn to for direction, guidance, and inspiration. I want to change the culture of Feds to be accepting of collaboration with leadership and using this principle to improve the visibility of what the Federation can do for its students. What better way to improve the relevance of Feds then to empower students and build a community of innovation.
FEDS VISION | ORIENATION | MENTAL HEALTH | SERVICES

FEDS VISION
I have been an active member of Feds, firstly as a student, and then as a contributing employee. I want to further my experience within the organization by enacting this remodel for the future vision that Feds needs to empower students. It should be through this community collaboration to common goals that Feds achieves change and makes a difference for undergraduate students. Board of Directors: Improving the functionality by empowering the Directors to actively participate in the research and education of discussions. Currently the Board of Directors relies heavily on the capabilities of the exec and a disconnect remains between the 3 parties: executives, directors at large, and the board members who are also councillors Increasing the tangibility of action items in the action plan by including metrics and ways of staying accountable to the deadlines of each action point. Educating students, the staff, and the volunteers of Feds about the organizational structure so there is a better understanding of how the organization works overall. This research will also help identify any inconsistencies or inefficiencies within the current structure Open up another Feds representative seat for the VPED on Senate

Engaging in thorough research to identify the issues affecting students, collaborate with the VPs on methods of research that would benefit their portfolio and identify gaps in the student experience that need be improved Improving Feds online education resources, providing important links to services offered by the university, for these types of resources. Creating opportunities for students to be engaged and participate in direction-setting processes by conducting effective focus groups within the societies Improving the ethical policies within Feds by developing ethical policy that conveys sound and concrete values on behalf of the students of UWaterloo Introducing video blogs and increased video coverage with the help of engaged students who have an interest in film Social media initiative - improving communications via Feds social media Promoting community involvement

ORIENTATION
I have long argued that orientation is the single most important event in our undergraduate careers and will stick by this point until the day I graduate. It will in essence define the direction you choose to take for the next however many years. I have been an active member of orientation through the following positions: Pink Tie Math Leader, Cross Campus FOC, and Warrior Crew Budget Coordinator. I have an extensive experience within this area of Feds and will continue to treat it with the same vigor as if I was still an active leader. It is a time when the entire campus comes together and encompasses the words passion and leadership. I want to bring this to the organization as a whole and work on applying the type of connections leaders have with one another to every connection Feds has with students. First year seminars (work with first year commission and RLCs) Introducing an Academic Welcome Week, possibly the addition of an event or a full day during Welcome week dedicated to academic interactive events. With an event name of, Adjusting to the Curve. This event would introduce things that orientation academic sessions might not include, for example: financial literacy, laundry 101, managing your time

Joining GSA with Feds orientation week, possibly include the transfer students within first year orientation events to promote cross campus unity and positive co-existence Increase connections that first year students have versus the connections that leaders make (there is a vast difference in the data collected for how well leaders make connections versus first year students). Include training on how to interact and make first years feel those connections with the staff, students, and leaders around them.

MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health is such a broad topic and affects so many different people in different lights. It is also a topic that I feel very closely related to and wish to put my passion behind it to increase the accessibility students have on anything that will improve their overall well being. Mental health should not be perceived as a disability but rather a reason to fight harder every day to achieve anything and everything within your scope of abilities. Team up with GSA, WLUSU, and WLUGSA to have a March in March for mental health within the community. The year 5 program/seminars: an orientation for students transitioning from undergraduate to graduate studies within UWaterloo. This might help graduate retention rate and more research would be needed in order to see the benefit of this point. Improving the in class experience to better fit the needs of the technologically innovative students: o Texting the TAs in class for questions to ask the prof, keeps the student anonymous and allows them to ask a question without being judged or ridiculed o Recording larger first and second year lectures (then posted on learn following the lecture to allow students to review, or archived for future online option of this course) o Creating mandatory small tutorials for large 1st year classes Community service programs/trips over reading week

SERVICES
Improving awareness of services like GLOW and Womens Centre as resources for students to use, they can be a benefit to every student and help build community within Feds. Join the SSO and the student associations in commiincations across campus, when the SSO has focus groups with decentralized groups of students they dont get always get a fair representation of student opinion. However if the discussions originated from within the societies, it would be easier to attract students to the conversation. Improving UWaterloos online education resources Increase initiatives, projects, and collaborations with CTE. Raise awareness of its existence to students and educate students on what they have to offer. Research how we can we better capitalize on mediums of communication from Feds, faculty, and university groups so that students are exposed to the most relevant information in the most efficient way possible Housing information events in central locations on campus, such as the Great Hall. o How to cook, how to deal with your landlord, tips and tricks- this event would happen mid-term of each term because that is the time people would be looking for a new house (Winter term would be when first years would be looking, but some engineers would be looking in fall of 1a). o Talk to off- campus housing, residence life, and the SSO to make this a collaborative initiative Create and publish a map of best study spaces on campus, a guide for students.

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