“The end goal is to ensure that we fulfil the mandates that are outlined in the constitution to ensure that we build that spirit of togetherness amongst students, we enhance the awareness of the university, both nationally and regionally and even internationally, and we attend to the welfare and we represent the concrete opinion of students.” This statement was made by the new president of the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS), Shaquawn Gill.
The 20-year-old President is a communications major in his third year. He has served for five years as a Youth Ambassador, participating in and facilitating workshops in youth development, youth empowerment and professional development. Added to this, he has also served as a mentor for three consecutive National Youth Parliament sittings, himself being a Youth Parliamentarian in 2018. And to top it all off, Gill is also captain of the university’s US 21 basketball team.
The UGGS President, highlighted four implementation strategies that he has in store for the 2023 academic year. “A mandate would have been set out since prior to the election, even in campaign time, and there is assurance that work has already begun”, Gill highlighted.
Firstly, work has already commenced on the establishment of a Student Complaint Operating System. This will allow students to have an operating system and an interface where they are able to speak with their faculty representatives, raise concerns, and have their issues rectified within that operating system.
“It is critical to ensure that the society [UGSS] continues to fulfil its mandate as outlined by its constitution, to represent a concrete opinion and to assist in developing the welfare of students so that the strategic approach of executing the society’s mandate is done in an efficient manner”, he told the Sunday Stabroek.
Part of this implementation strategy will be in the form of a website that will be set up, containing information about the UGGS, the history and also the projects that the Society is hoping to get done in the coming years or within the year. Information for international students will also be on the website. Discussions have already taken place with the web developer who has already submitted invoices and started work to put together the content of the website that will be completed very soon.
Secondly, Gill is looking to foster strong bilateral relationships with other universities within the Caribbean. He want to create that platform and that framework where those students have the opportunity to do so, and has already begun discussions with the University of The West Indies, St Augustine Campus, University of The Southern Caribbean, Northern Caribbean University and recently started discussions with the University of Belize as well. Those four universities, he noted, are already on board and hopefully once those discussions proceed in the manner which is expected, he expects to see major projects coming out of that foundation. “I believe that a united voice is a stronger voice and to foster those relationship will not only have that united voice but we will have the opportunity to create competition, exhibitions and student exchanges, meaning that the students of University of Guyana would be able to showcase their talents, abilities and skills that has been rightly endowed upon them and they should have the opportunities.”
Thirdly, the UGSS president is looking to work with the university to enhance its mental health services, after concluding based on statistically proven data that many people are dealing with a lot of mental health challenges which is the combined result of COVID-19 and a number of other external challenges.
“We don’t want the university to be another source of stress for students and as much as possible we have to implement measures, programmes and projects that will assist students in treating their Mental Health Challenges. We want to work with the University to have these services expanded, extended and working in an efficient manner to ensure that students have access to it.”
The fourth strategy envisioned by Gill is the resumption of extra-curricular activities. This will be set up in a way for the games committee to ensure that it is not only the Society hosting its sports programmes but that there are independent teams representing the various sporting disciplines. It is very important that they can function on their own, have their own competitions and be able to participate with other clubs and organizations at the national level.
Gill also touched on the fees that students pay, with many students elaborating the concerns they have with the Miscellaneous Fee. The approach to this concern was to form a committee (which he committed to do even before being elected) that will look strategically and specifically at the miscellaneous fee to ascertain which areas can be addressed in terms of looking at a reduction. As far as he is concerned, there are areas where the fee can be reduced.
“I personally don’t see that much of a need for a lot of the exorbitant prices that are within there, but of course it has to go through a committee that will deal specifically with that.” The committee is tasked with compiling a report which will be presented to the council and that will inform the Society as to how it should move forward, he said.
