Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Koval and I’m a 4th year grad student in molecular biology. I’ve lived in Lakeside for over two years and from the garden plots to the grill, I absolutely love living here. I would love to be a part of the Lakeside committee to help improve the experience of all residents in our neighborhood.
As secretary, my priorities would be:
1) Keeping and distributing detailed committee meeting minutes
2) Following up on unresolved issues and advocating to management/housing on behalf of residents
3) Promptly responding to resident questions on the Slack/Lakeside email
4) Creating centralized, easily accessible, and updated resources for new/current residents to address common issues and questions (what to do if you can’t find your package, how to use the Lakeside grill, how to access the communal sports equipment, etc.)
I know a consistent issue that residents face is being brushed off or ignored by management (I’ve been there). In this role, I would make it a priority to follow up with residents, management, and housing to ensure that Lakeside residents’ concerns are taken seriously and addressed adequately. In the circulated meeting minutes, I would highlight all action items and bring them up to management/housing at the following meeting to ensure they’ve been addressed.
In the past, secretaries have also spearheaded new initiatives. I look forward to supporting and growing the Grad Greening initiative that Isabel lead, which set up tents for residents to leave or take unwanted items.
An additional role I would take on as secretary would be creating more written resources that residents can easily access about common issues. As an active member of the Slack channel, I see that the same questions often come up. Whether they’re compiled into a handbook that’s updated yearly or added to the Lakeside Committee website, a centralized resource would make it easier for residents to solve problems quickly and make use of Lakeside amenities.
I look forward to advocating on the behalf of residents and making Lakeside an even better place to spend our graduate years. Thanks for reading!