As the new school year begins, the Division of Public Safety and Security (DPSS) Student Advisory Board (SAB) co-chairs, Stephen Bonesteel and Sumaya Tabbah, have asked us to share their thoughts about their experiences serving on the SAB.
To our U-M Community,
Student safety on the University of Michigan campus is paramount. 2020 has provided us with a multitude of challenges that have completely changed how we think of health and safety in our day-to-day lives. Recently, President Schlissel announced plans for the return of students to our campus in Fall 2020. While we face a global pandemic, our nation also is reeling from the murder of George Floyd that has resulted in public outcry across the nation where thousands of people have taken to the streets seeking police reform. We have seen several demonstrations close to home right here in Ann Arbor.
During these tumultuous times, community dialogue and collaboration is increasingly important. At U-M, the DPSS SAB is an avenue to contribute in the shaping of safety and security on campus by providing feedback and voicing concerns.
In the coming year, the DPSS Student Advisory Board will continue to find effective and impactful ways for students to be active participants in the shaping of safety on campus so that everyone who steps foot on our campus can thrive in a safe environment. If you are interested in joining, fill out this online application.
Interested students should submit their application by the end of September, but rolling applications will be accepted throughout the year. The DPSS SAB remains completely student-driven and is actively seeking to recruit for the upcoming Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 terms. Members of the advisory board are expected to attend one monthly meeting and routinely provide feedback regarding special projects and board goals. Undergraduate students and graduate students alike are encouraged to apply to the board.
In 2019-2020 the SAB laid the foundation for several new partnerships between DPSS and other campus units. We are excited to see how we can continue to collaborate with the Maize and Blue Cupboard, the Comprehensive Studies Program (CSP) and the Office of Academic Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) along with several other campus units to continue providing feedback to the DPSS executive leadership. Moving forward, the SAB plans to continue to build a diverse portfolio of campus partnerships and provide new opportunities for student safety initiatives and feedback.
The DPSS Student Advisory Board also welcomes feedback from students who are not interested in being on the board but want to have their voices heard. If you have feedback and concerns and would like to pass it along to the advisory board, please email dpss-studentadvisoryboard@umich.edu.
Take care, stay healthy, Go Blue!
Stephen Bonesteel
Sumaya Tabbah
DPSS Student Advisory Board Co-Chairs
As outgoing student leadership of the DPSS Student Advisory Board, this message was created to highlight the need for more student voices on the DPSS Student Advisory Board. This is not a DPSS statement, but one from us as students dedicated to the future of student safety at U-M.