Future environmental engineer takes helm of UC student government
Martinez, a fifth-year student studying computer science, says UC student government wants to work more closely with student centers.
“I think a large focus of our platform is to veer away from event planning and programming and steer toward resource building and supporting the student centers we have on campus,” says Martinez. “We want to make more resources available to students like creating a whole new position within the international student office, or creating a diversity, inclusion and equity townhall with the centers, all of which is incredibly focused on the student body and what we can do for them.”
Smitherman says student leaders were pleased with the UC Board of Trustees June 28 decision to rename all campus spaces connected to university founder Charles McMicken. McMicken’s will neither requested nor required that his name be formally associated with the university in any way.
A 2019 Working Group at the university recommended the change based on McMicken’s segregationist views in his will and his slave-holding history, which “have long thought to be the genesis of the very difficult times that African American students have experienced at UC and symbolic of them.”
“We are excited to see the announcement,” says Smitherman. “We have had a few really good conversations with the board of trustees in the area of diversity, equity and inclusion and we are just happy to see that they were responsive. They heard us out.”
Specifically, for the time being, McMicken Hall will become Arts & Sciences Hall; McMicken Commons will become Bearcats Commons; McMicken Circle will become University Circle; and Mick & Mack’s Contemporary Café will become Bearcats Café.
“A lot of things are going on and I feel like the university is doing a good job of trying to handle them, so we are now pulling more people into this conversation on diversity, equity and inclusion,” says Smitherman. “Let’s hear more specifics of what the students want to see. How can students be supported?”
Latest UC News
- Cincinnati Enquirer: UC students win Flying Pig racesUniversity of Cincinnati students won championships in the 2024 Flying Pig Marathon, including the women's marathon and men's and women's half marathons, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
- Lindner alumnus Xander Wells named Mr. BearcatXander Wells approached his college experience with the idea that he’d rather depart the University of Cincinnati wishing he had done less than wishing he had done more. Mission accomplished for the recipient of the 2024 Mr. Bearcat award, as selected by UC honorary fraternity Sigma Sigma.
- Washington Post: The hour after leaving day care is a nutritional fail for kidsThe Washington Post highlighted research led by University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital researchers that found kids eat fewer healthy foods and take in 22 percent of their day’s added sugar intake in the single hour after they’re picked up from child care.
- Local news highlights UC's artificial intelligence programsUC College of Engineering and Applied Science Professor Ali Minai tells WLWT and WVXU that AI is becoming a popular subject among new students.
- Information Security Roadshow spreads awarenessThe University of Cincinnati's Office of Information Security launched a series of 18 in-person sessions from January to April 2024, drawing nearly 350 attendees from the staff of various UC colleges and units. The Information Security Roadshow series aimed to equip the audience with knowledge on prevailing cyber threats, prevention strategies, how to report incidents and resources to stay informed and secure.
- Local 12: Diabetes study focuses on how long blood sugar control can be maintainedThe University of Cincinnati's Robert Cohen spoke with Local 12 about the GRADE study that shows how a new medication needs to be developed to help treat people with type two diabetes.