As Berkeley students get back into the groove of their daily routine, the Student Forum would like to publicize its goals for the upcoming school year. Headed by President Jake Franz and Vice President Daniel Stein, Student Forum functions as a vehicle for students to voice their opinions regarding school policies and activities. Specifically, for the 2014-2015 school year, Student Forum’s goals are to become more accessible to the student body and to promote school spirit and unity.

To accomplish the goal of increased accessibility, Student Forum will hold an Open Forum in the Student Lounge on the last Thursday of every month where Berkeley students can sit, converse and voice their concerns about any Berkeley related topic. Similarly, Student Forum is entertaining the idea of holding focus groups specific to each grade. In doing so, Student Forum will be able to comprehend the feelings of grade levels towards certain policies or activities enacted by Berkeley. Then, the organization will provide insightful feedback to the administration with the intention to address any concerns. Furthermore, Student Forum is establishing social media outlets to promote itself and be more accessible to students. Now, with a simple tweet, students can contact their student government.

While promoting school spirit may seem to fall solely under the duties of Jolly Rogers or the Berkeley Armada, this year, Student Forum plans to be directly involved in creating a livelier student environment. For example, on September 12, Student Forum provided a bounce house to accompany the home varsity football game that evening. It turned out to be a hit, as many students enjoyed it. Another idea, which Franz is hoping to revive, is Berkeley’s Movie on the Mound. This event would occur at least twice a year on a Friday evening. Students would be able to bring blankets and pillows as they enjoy a free movie with their friends and classmates. Activities like these provide fun and enjoyable ways for students to bond with each other on campus.

If a student has any recommendations for Student Forum for this year, he or she can email them at [email protected], or contact any of the Student Forum members.