Drake Listens!

    One of the things that has impressed me most about Drake’s administrative staff and the student senate is their willingness to listen to students’ concerns and needs. I remember in high school, the student council committee was available to listen to the student body’s problems. They always promised change, but nothing ever happened. At Drake, the student senate does listen and take action. Two notable cases come to mind.
    This past year lower Olmsted was renovated and converted into a new fitness center with great strength and cardio equipment. It's now called Underground Fitness. When I first arrived at Drake, it was a dark and dreary cafeteria. Students complained that the Bell Center was too crowded (it really was). Student senate listened to our campus’ concerns, and brought the matter to the faculty senate. Long story short, there are now two great locations to workout on campus, each of which has plenty of space! It all happened because students took the initiative to voice their concerns. 
    The price of printing ink can be deceiving. For my printer, replacing the black and color carriages costs almost as much as the entire printer itself! Last year, Drake decided to allocate each student $20.00 in printing per semester. There are printing stations set up in almost every building on campus. The wireless PaperCut system allows students to print documents from their laptops to any printer at anytime. This small allocation of student funds has been a huge saving for many others and myself. I’ve noticed these changes and more throughout my time at Drake. It’s awesome to be part of a student body where the administration cares about and wants to meet our needs.