2023 - 2024 SLCCSA Vision Statement

Joyce Wambuyi, 2023 - 24 SLCCSA President

Our society has been grappling with numerous challenges: escalating inflation, job market uncertainty, and socio-political tension. The impact of these factors has made many aspects of life increasingly difficult, as housing crises and soaring prices of basic needs have become pervasive. Regrettably, education has not been immune to these difficulties. Although SLCC students strive for success, many struggle to survive. This struggle has led to a disheartening erosion of their sense of belonging and ability to learn. It is important that our college prevent this trend. SLCC recognizes knowledge gained in college is an asset to our community, especially in such challenging times. Therefore, we are more determined than ever to prioritize student accessibility. SLCC Student Association has identified three guiding questions to support our students in the face of these challenges:

• How can SLCC eliminate, reduce, or create greater transparency about the hidden costs of college?
• How can we reconnect students to campus and find greater value in their time at SLCC? 
  
• How can we enhance the online learning experience, making it both meaningful and accessible?

Affordability Is Accessibility
In anticipation of base costs like tuition and fees, students are working multiple jobs, taking out loans, and applying for scholarships. On top of that they must also support themselves and their families. Although our college is lower cost than most in the state, that is offset by the unexpected costs students encounter after classes begin. Students are unable to plan for the actual cost of college which includes books, parking, course fees, and a myriad of other hidden expenses. SLCCSA believes strongly that accessibility is affordability. By focusing on making SLCC more affordable, we can reduce the financial burden on already struggling students.
 
Connection Adds Value
Our student body represents the racial and socio-economic diversity of the Salt Lake valley, which deeply enhances the academic and co-curricular environment in which we learn. Essential to an effective and diverse learning environment is the connection a student feels to their school. Regrettably, we have seen a lack in this connection which has left our campus feeling empty. There are many issues that hinder student connection to the college, especially for diverse and first-generation students. We can improve connection by creating fun and inspiring student-centered spaces, stabilizing resources like food services, and increasing visibility and involvement in outstanding campus resources.
 
Reliable Digital Resources
We are living in a boom in innovative technology; students are more likely to enroll in online classes and use online tools. Some online platforms are hard to access and have minimal guidance in how to navigate them. SLCC currently has two challenges: representation of online students and the accessibility of online tools. Nothing interrupts your day faster than the internet being down, struggling with the basic functions of an online platform, or not being able to find accurate information online. With so many students taking at least one online course, the digital resources at SLCC are remarkably underdeveloped and unreliable. While in some cases this means adding online resources, it is often about making what is online easier. SLCCSA hopes to shed light on these issues by addressing problems with technology and the inclusion of online students.

SLCCSA Inclusive Restroom Signage Updates

The SLCC Student Association (SLCCSA) has carried forward on its vision to make campus more welcoming with phase two of an inclusive bathroom signage initiative. Along with the initiative, SLCCSA shares the steps taken to develop new imagery for the initiative. With the target to expand signage to all SLCC campuses and facilities, the hope is to show a strong commitment to all SLCC students, staff, and faculty, especially members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Using feedback from the “green dot” pilot, SLCCSA worked with SLCC’s Institutional Marketing and Facilities departments to develop five new designs for the signage.

 
Gathering additional student insight was the number one goal in this phase. Students provided feedback on imagery, clarity and language; creating a complex web of feedback. Overall, excitement and support for the initiative won out in every conversation. SLCCSA partnered from Professor Elisa Stone, Ryan Thoroman, and Peter Moosman who created space for dialogue and feedback with students in Queer Studies courses and with the Queer Student Association.  Additionally, students visiting the Thayne Center for Student Life, Leadership and Community Engagement and the Gender & Sexuality Student Resource Center were encouraged to mark down notes and impressions on each re-design. In total, over 75 students chimed in on the initiative, informing the final product for our second pilot.

Pilot 2 is set to hit the Taylorsville Redwood Student Center by the first week of November. Anyone who has additional feedback on the pilot design can reach out to SLCCSA President Lindsay Simons at lindsay.simons@slcc.edu. SLCCSA will review this feedback with key constituents, including the Queer Student Association (QSA) and SLCC Facilities department, as signage expansion to multiple campuses is considered. Updates regarding the signage revisions and expansion to other buildings on campus will be communicated.

Student Association Pilots Signage for Gender-inclusive Restrooms

Students, staff and faculty at the Redwood Campus may have noticed an interesting green dot appearing near restrooms. This is the “pilot” of new signage developed by the Salt Lake Community College Student Association (SLCCSA) after a year-long campaign on student healing: body, mind and spirit. The pilot signage was designed in consultation with SLCCSA, Queer Student Association (QSA) and SLCC’s Facilities department.
 
The pilot signage is a graphic representation related to a larger initiative about gender inclusive restroom facilities at SLCC. In Fall 2021, SLCCSA met with members of QSA regarding ongoing concerns from students about belonging on campus — namely whether SLCC policy protects trans-men, trans-women, and gender non-conforming students using restrooms based on gender identity rather than sex assigned at birth, regardless of expression. From there, SLCCSA student representatives consulted SLCC students, staff and faculty about the issue. As a result of their findings, SLCCSA Executive Council voted unanimously in support of future building projects at SLCC with inclusive restroom design. Currently, SLCC facilities staff have engaged an architectural firm to identify a potential space to pilot an inclusive restroom design. Details regarding this pilot restrooms are forthcoming and will be communicated to the campus community in the near future. SLCCSA and QSA endeavored to create a new signage campaign to communicate that the current restrooms are open to all students based on gender identity, which is affirmed by the individual. SLCCSA leaders have worked in tandem with SLCC administration in support of the inclusive bathroom signage. 

To date, the pilot signage has uncovered a formatting issue — the clings utilized are not sturdy enough and some are falling off the walls near the restrooms in certain locations. Some employees and students are confused about the intention behind the signage, which could be clarified with some additional text or information. Some community members commented that the pilot signage does not have a clear affiliation to SLCCSA, making it unclear who initiated the signage. A small number of students commented, that while they appreciate the signage does not replicate the “pink” and “blue” affiliated with “traditional” gender binaries, the chosen neon green color seems more like a warning sign. 
 
Anyone who has additional feedback on the pilot design can reach out to SLCCSA President Lindsay Simons at Lindsay.simons@slcc.edu. SLCCSA will review this feedback with key constituents, including the Queer Student Association (QSA) and SLCC Facilities department, as signage expansion to multiple campuses is considered.
 
Updates regarding the signage revisions and expansion to buildings on other campuses will be communicated in SLCC Today and The Globe newspaper. Students, staff and faculty can review a list of SLCC’s All Gender Restrooms on the GSSRC website.

2021 Housing Survey

Hey Bruins,

When you hear “college dorm room,” what kind of image flashes through your head? How many roommates, what color are the walls and, here’s the kicker: is it on SLCC campus somewhere?

In the future, it could be! 

But first, we need find out what current Bruins think about potential on-campus housing. That’s why we’ve created this survey: On-campus Housing at SLCC.

It takes about 12 minutes — that’s less than your average Netflix episode — and, in exchange for your time and valuable insight, everyone who participates will be entered to win one of hundreds of prizes:  

1 in 5 odds of winning a $10 gift card to Cupbop Korean BBQ,

1 in 20 odds of winning a $25 gift card to SLCC’s College Bookstore

1 in 30 odds of winning a $30 gift card to Amazon

1in 100 odds of winning a $500 gift card to your choice: Target, Walmart or Amazon

 

This gives you a pretty good chance of snagging something, friends. And even if you don’t, your feedback makes a difference. Truly. We’re taking this thing so seriously that we even brought in outside help from The Scion Group, a national consulting services firm who knows the college housing biz front to back. 

 

Just think, future generations of Bruins could study and live on campus — or not, who knows? — all thanks to you.

 

We hope you’ll take a minute to complete the survey, Bruins. 'Cause someone has to win all those gift cards!

 

See you in class,

 

Lindsay Simons

SLCC Student Body President