In less than two weeks, UT will inaugurate a new class of student leaders. Seeing as none of them have drawn the consternation of Energy Secretary Rick Perry, we expect them to be halfway decent. Nevertheless, in advance of the transition, our Forum page this week highlights an assortment of fresh ideas they can use to improve the quality of student life and reform campus culture for the better, next year and beyond.

In our first piece, members of the Interpersonal Violence Coalition recontextualize Round Up weekend as a platform to discuss the importance of consent in personal relationships. They note that the big crowds and heavy alcohol consumption at the weekend’s highly anticipated festivities can put students in risky situations. The coalition urges students to take an active role in curating a successful and safe environment for everyone, which starts with understanding consent and intervening in compromising situations.

In our second piece, Cockrell representative Matt Offill explains a proposal he introduced in the Assembly this week that would reform UT’s system of assigning seating at football games. The initiative, which Offill helped develop in conjunction with the athletic department, would assign Big Ticket holders to a particular section without designating a specific row or seat number, in order to incentivize early
attendance and avoid scenarios in which the Longhorns take the field in front of empty bleachers.

We hope to showcase more creative proposals as the semester draws to a close. Feel free to contribute to the conversation by reaching out to us at [email protected]. As always, we look forward to hearing from you!

Shenhar is a Plan II, economics and government senior from Westport, Connecticut. Vernon is an anthropology and rhetoric and writing sophomore from The Woodlands.