Former Associated Students of Stanford University (ASSU) President Erica Scott 20 and Vice President Isaiah Drummond 20 highlighted contributions from various bodies of the ASSU in improving campus affordability and equity in their End of Term Report, which was released on Wednesday.

While this is not the end to our term that we had imagined, we have seen firsthand how resilient, empathetic and supportive the Stanford community can be, Scott and Drummond wrote. With the COVID-19 and racial injustice crises causing uncertainty and hurt for many, we implore you to continue showing up for one another and finding ways to take care of yourselves along the way.

Scott and Drummond identified ethical investment, support for Channel Millers plaque, public interest work and ASSU rebranding as priorities of the Executive Branch, citing figures like the $150,000 the ASSU distributed in response to COVID-19 and an increase in campus voter registration as successes of the administration.

Scott and Drummond also recognized the work of their cabinet directors, who specialized in issues ranging from sexual violence prevention to political engagement. Cabinet directors tackled projects corresponding to their area of focus, such as Affordability Directors Grace Achepohl 20 and sixth-year music and neuroscience Ph.D. student Irn Romn assisting Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) on creating pop-up food pantry events.

Recently elected ASSU Vice President Vianna Vo 21 served as ASSU mental health and wellness director under Scott and Drummond, advocating for increased mental health funding, resources and awareness.

Last year was the first time that CAPS [Counseling and Psychological Services] received a funding boost in 10 years, Vo wrote. It is my hope that it will not take another 10 years for us to make progress.

Stanford Student Enterprises (SSE), responsible for ensuring the long-term financial viability and independence of the ASSU along with coordinating various business enterprises, identified the work of SSE divisions like Stanford Consulting, the Student Store, Cardinal Ventures and Cardinal Labs as areas where the SSE had seen improvement and growth. For instance, the Student Store, under Design and Marketing Manager Mei-Lan Steimle 21, launched the Bears Arent Real line of apparel before the Big Game.

The Undergraduate Senate recognized achievements of various senators, including returning Senator Mi Bahr 22s widely co-sponsored resolution on sexual violence and Senators Martin Altenburg 21 and Mustafa Khans 22 advocacy for the removal of course fees in an affordability working group convened by former Vice Provost for Education Harry Elam.

In contrast, the Graduate Student Council (GSC) spoke more to broader goals of the GSC throughout the year, such as improved affordability and support for graduate students.

We are actively pushing administrators to continue their support for graduate students during this unprecedented and challenging time, the report reads.

Contact Kate Selig at kselig at stanford.edu.

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ASSU Executives' End of Term Report highlights affordability, equity initiatives - The Stanford Daily