By Tyler Kennedy

Staff Writer

Nov. 1 will mark six months to the day that Cameron Cook and Ryan Grogan assumed their positions as Student Body President and Student Body Vice President, respectively.  The pair held their Student Life Address in the Granite State Room on Sunday night. This event marked the first time that any such address has taken place.

At the beginning of the address, Cook made note of what he wished to accomplish with the address.

“Ryan and I hope to provide everyone with the opportunity to learn about the progress being made in my student government on the challengers directly affecting all of you. More importantly, however, this speech is intended to inspire students to get involved,” Cook said.

Student involvement was an issue brought up many times through the event by both Cook and his vice president.

“Student government cannot achieve these goals alone. We need your opinions, your concerns, and your voices. We need  your time, your hard work, and your dedication,” Cook remarked.

Touching upon the progress his administration has made, Cook announced that while “student life is improving, we must push forward together.”

On the topic of the many renovations that have occurred to infrastructures on campus, Grogan stated that such critical updates “exemplify the commitment by the university to the students.”

“These updates will allow UNH to be more selective with prospective students, that will then elevate the value of our degrees,” Grogan said.

With these physical changes occurring to the university along with the departure of administration and staff members, Grogan made a notion that this showcases the fact that UNH is going through a period of renewal.

With all these adjustments being made, Grogan offered the audience what might be the defining duty of his and Cook’s student government.

“This student government is working tirelessly to act as a proper liaison between the administration and the student body,” Grogan said.

As an example, Grogan pointed to the establishment of the UNH Police Department Student Advisory Committee, which occurred at the beginning of their term. He noted that this committee was designed to promote positive dialogue between students and the UNH Police Department under Chief Paul Dean. With this committee, Grogan wishes that issues will be resolved before they happen.

Speaking of goals that they are currently prioritizing, Cook pointed to the idea of a total reconstruction of career services. 

“UNH students have complained for far too long that career services has been disjointed, complicated, and has not been emphasized enough by this institution,” Cook exclaimed.

Other issues being prioritized by the duo were the topics of Title IX and increasing tuition expenses.

Cook noted there are currently hundreds of issues, both small and large, that affect the entire student body.

With this event, the duo also unveiled the first edition of the Student Master Plan. The document was designed using information gathered through answers from a survey that was released to the student body last April.

Grogan established the thought that this document might be a “lightning rod in driving students’ voice in the coming years.”  Grogan remarked that this is an attempt to create a document that reflects a singular student voice that stands strong.

Following the prepared address by the duo, a question and answer session occurred to close the event.