When looking at the legacy that Cardinal Impact will leave behind, it's not clear right now.
Many of its initiatives were successful, others were partially completed and some never got far off the ground.
Services
The slate looked to tackle extended hours in Bracken Library around Finals Week, make free or 25-cent refills available in campus dining and open the Amelia T. Wood Health Center on Sundays, among other ideas. Extended library hours were compromised down from two weeks to two days, while refills and extended Health Center hours never happened.
Former Secretary Carson Lance explained that the refill idea became unfeasible due to Dining Services' strategic planning, an unwillingness to increase prices to cover the revenue lost by giving discounted refills and the desire of Jon Lewis, director of Campus Dining Services, to not promote overconsumption of soda by students.
The slate also met with Dr. Kent Bullis, medical director of the Health Center, and, after researching the possibility, found there wasn't enough demand to merit the Health Center being open on Sundays.
Also under this section, blue recycling bags were distributed in off-campus neighborhoods and a committee was created to oversee all aspects of Cardinal Cash, including the still possible platform item of getting Cardinal Cash in the Village. Additionally, 24-hour computer lab access in residence halls is moving through the campus governance system and is still a possibility for the future.
Many points in this category were ambitious to say the least; many people knew by looking at the list that it would be nearly impossible to accomplish most of these. We'd implore future slates to not run on campaign points that are very unlikely to happen. Who knows what the outcome of last year's election would have been if all the slates had put forth doable changes. Part of this can be blamed on students as well — don't expect unreasonable things from a group of four students just as busy as you.
Academics
Many of the platform items under this category are in the works still. The off-campus living immersive learning opportunity is still having the details worked out. Waiting lists for the online course shopping cart did not get accomplished during the slate's term but are still being looked at. The slate explained that scholarship advertisement on Student Services could not be accomplished within a year. As far as extending add/drop registration, the slate said it quickly found out that drop extension could not be completed and that the extended add period cannot be accomplished within a year.
It's difficult to give credit or demerit in this area because many of the aspects are still happening. Slates should either have campaign points that can be accomplished within a year or acknowledge that their goals are for the long term.
Diversity
"Make an Impact Day," which took place Feb. 27, was one of the points that Cardinal Impact was most proud of and hopes others can continue.
Other aspects under this section weren't focused on because other platform items were looked at instead, former President Beth Cahill said. However, Multicultural Center funding was increased, as was co-sponsorship money to aid other student organizations.
While the turnout — about 60 people — for "Make and Impact Day" might not have been huge, if it's the start of something bigger, props go to Cardinal Impact.
School Pride
The essay contest to win the opportunity to sit and watch a football game in President Jo Ann Gora's suite was successful, as were continuing fireworks after games. Only one fan bus was utilized during Cardinal Impact's term, and that was to the women's basketball game against Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament.
We would've liked more fan buses, but the lack thereof can also be blamed on lackluster student attendance at sporting events such as basketball and football this school year as well as subpar performance on the field.
Transportation
Another point the slate is proud of is the compromise between Student Government Association and Parking Services to open lots at 3 p.m. during Family Weekend and Homecoming weekend. The Web-based notification for parking ticket information should be implemented by the Fall Semester. While many other slates have worked on getting more parking spots at the Health Center for students, the group said the biggest change will be once Kinghorn Hall is complete; there will be six more parking spots in the Fall Semester.
Slate members said they knew that it would be a stretch to change restricted lots opening times from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m., and once they started talking to administrators they realized it wouldn't be possible. They also tried to make night passes cost $20 rather than $40, but that turned out to not be feasible either.
Additionally, while the group wanted to extend Charlie's Charter to complexes in neighborhoods south and east of campus, they said Director of Public Safety Gene Burton wanted to contain the service to campus.
Many of us knew there was only a snowball's chance that restricted lots could have their times changed. But, as for the time changes during Family and Homecoming weekends, if this led to an increase in visitors to campus and less of a headache for parents, then we're all for it.
Cardinal Call
The group accomplished most of these points, including blogging, podcasts and live streams of their meetings, as well as a 24-hour hotline. The slate also said it didn't need to have any campus referendums during its term.
Nice job, Cardinal Impact, with trying to open the organization up and increase transparency in SGA when it sometimes seems secretive.
Overall, Cardinal Impact boasts that SGA has improved internally since it took office. Members point to the increase in the amount of senators and the decrease in senator turnover.
Cahill said there isn't anything that she would change from the slate's initial plan because the points it included were important to students. However, former Vice President Amanda Mills said it may not have included so many points because there is not always enough time to get everything accomplished.
No one would doubt the good intentions of this slate or even the overabundance of issues it tried to tackle. The legacy that is left by Cardinal Impact will have to be looked at over time to gauge the actual impact, as many of the points are still in progress.
Cahill said she'd give her slate a B, and other slates are kidding themselves if they give themselves A's.
We'd give the slate a B-. It's improved on the organization but could've used research before presenting its platform in order to narrow the focus of its ideas.
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