By: Molecule Jongwilai

The University of Maryland SGA launched a complaint tabling initiative for students to voice concerns, according to directors of SGA’s student affairs committee. 

Shuli Frenkel, a junior criminology and criminal justice major, said that the initiative will serve as a way for SGA to evaluate whether their work aligns with students’ interests or concerns. It also allows the SGA to connect with more students who may not normally engage with the organization.     

“One of the most important things that we need to do is make sure that we are connecting with the students and that our actions reflect their values. Because even if we have amazing initiatives, if it’s not what the students are looking for, then we’re failing in our role,” Frenkel said. 

Imaan Shikoh, a senior public policy major said that even though SGA had several channels for students to engage with them in the past, they felt that the outcome of these methods still didn’t represent the entire campus. 

“That’s kind of the gap that we tried to fill with this initiative. …So instead of requiring students to come to our meetings or come meet with us or fill out our forms, we go out to them,” Shikoh added. 

Shikoh said that they plan to compile all the responses, categorize them, and assign them to different committees responsible for or relevant to each category so that SGA as a whole can develop initiatives based on them systematically.

Chris Adams, 21, a senior government and policy major and SGA’s legislative member representing South Campus Commons, said that the results from complaint tabling will help legislators prioritize problems and implement the solutions through the legislative process.

“A lot of the complaints that we’re gonna listen to, they’re gonna become legislation. …I’m gonna pull it and I’m gonna write a bill on it, and then, … we’re gonna fix the problem,” Adams said. 

Besides dropping complaints, as a way to entice students to engage, Frenkel said that they plan to give away free pizza and other essential information that students might need at the tables, including mental health and academic resources. 

Luis Alejandro, 31, a third-year Ph.D. in math education major, said that the complaint table may make students feel less inclined to participate due to concern about anonymity because they still have to go in-person.

“If it’s something like a drop box,…you’re just walking by stamp, and there is this little box that you can drop notes, …could be another possibility, sort of like an in-between,” Alejandro said.