Transparency, campus dining and mental health services — in addition to divestment and democratization — are the top issues for the Undergraduate Council of Students this year, according to an email sent to all undergraduates on Oct. 7.
To increase transparency with the Brown community, UCS plans to reinstate its general body, which was removed in fall 2022, The Herald previously reported.
The change was made as “a concerted effort (to) align ourselves and be more cooperative with the other branches” of the Student Government Association, then-UCS President Ricky Zhong ’23 previously told The Herald at the time. The other two branches of SGA — the Class Coordinating Board and the Undergraduate Finance Board — only involved elected students and did not have general bodies.
The removal of the general body was one of the main drivers behind Zhong’s recall election that spring. Zhong retained his position.
But UCS President Niyanta Nepal ’25 believes a general body can create “an avenue for people who are just generally interested in student government as well to get involved,” she told The Herald.
UCS plans to hold town halls throughout the year and create more programming spaces to increase transparency.
Increased access to mental health care is another of the council’s priorities this year. According to the UCS email, some students face difficulties when trying to access mental health support “due to difficulty navigating the system and a supply of resources that is not sufficient for the present need.”
“We understand that these departments have been trying so hard to make sure that they’re able to meet student need, but the reality of the situation is there’s just too much demand and not enough supply,” Nepal said.
She hopes to create a pathway to refer students to local therapists in Providence if they are unable to make an appointment with Counseling and Psychological Services due to long wait times.
In the email, UCS also applauded the improvement of Brown’s dining halls in recent years. This year, they hope to improve accessibility, increase staff support and bring milkshakes to Josiah’s, Brown’s late-night eatery.
UCS Vice President Talib Reddick ’26 wrote in an email to The Herald that he is “most passionate” about the milkshakes.
“When discussing this with admin, I have consistently underscored how popular of a request this has been amongst the student body,” he wrote. “We are incredibly close to this goal and I will continue to work with (Brown Dining Services) to get this done.”
UCS also aims to work with Brown Dining Services to increase the number of dining halls open on the weekends, Nepal said. Currently, only Andrews Commons and the Sharpe Refectory are open for three meals on weekends, while Jo’s is open for dinner on both days. The Ivy Room is open for dinner on Sundays.
This fall, UCS Campus Life Chair Kyle Kavully ’27 worked with Brown Dining Services to re-establish the Brown Dining Council.
The Dining Council, led by five appointed student representatives, will be “the way for UCS to gather opinions (and) student feelings on dining and bring that over to administrators,” Nepal explained.
UCS also hopes to bring more food trucks to campus and increase dining options for students with allergies.
The council’s initiatives for the year were decided at a UCS retreat where all members discussed initiatives in terms of feasibility and impact, according to UCS Secretary Alexa Theodoropoulos ’27.
UCS Secretary Alexa Theodoropoulos ’27 believes the current initiatives “encapsulate pretty well the intersection of what the student body wants and what we’re capable of addressing.”
Other potential initiatives discussed by UCS members relate to legacy admissions, affirmative action, need-blind admissions for transfer students and publicizing UCS meeting minutes, Theodoropoulos said.
Reddick emphasized that UCS will continue to also work on initiatives not specifically enumerated in the email sent to students.
Leah Koritz is a Senior Staff Writer covering the student government beat under University News. Leah is from Dover, Massachusetts and studies Public Health and Judaic Studies. In her free time, Leah enjoys hiking, watching the Red Sox, and playing with her dog, Boba.
