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Dear Notre Dame,

It is hard to believe that we’re already six weeks into the school year! We write to you with immense gratitude for making our community a great place to live and work. It is our privilege to continue the effort to make tangible improvements to the student experience, and we couldn’t be happier with the results thus far.

We’ve already hosted some incredible events this year, including the “Football 101” session from the Department of First Generation Low-Income and the Department of South Bend Engagement’s Farmer’s Market. We have experienced success in advocating for dining hall improvements with the Department of Student Life. Moreover, the Department of Gender Relations, Title IX and Women’s Initiatives was able to complete their “Safety After Parietals” advocacy (check your dorm’s bulletin board to see the poster!).

We’re also trying to help student leaders build a safer, healthier community through our Department of Disability Advocacy’s “Guide to Accessible Social Events” and our Department of Health and Wellness’s “Resources Training” to equip student leaders to be mental health peer advocates. We know that with this heightened activity, there is likewise a need for intensified communication; our new “What is Student Government?” video — coupled with increased advertisement — aims to do just that.

Transparency and accountability have always been our guiding principles, and we invite any student curious about their government to check out our “Progress Tracker.” All 90 of our initiatives, and their corresponding departments and directors, can be found on our website. As always, feel free to email either of us with any concerns about your community or experience — we’re always happy to answer any questions!

Thank you all for the work you do to make Notre Dame an amazing home. The friendships we’ve been privileged to share are the reason we work hard everyday to better our community. Stay tuned for more updates next month!

Irish by a Million,

Patrick and Sofie