Student activities thrive despite COVID-19 challenges

Sometimes pictures don’t tell the whole story. Take a look at a photo gallery from this semester and IU Indianapolis’s once-bustling campus looks a bit different. There aren’t quite as many groups of students walking from building to building, and that might lead one to believe that not much was happening this semester for IU Indianapolis students.

Now at the end of the semester, the data tells a much different story. Even though there wasn’t as much to see on campus, student organizations and activities were alive and well. Below is a recap of the fall semester.

Fraternity and Sorority Life

• The Panhellenic Council increased chapter membership by 32 percent for the fall recruitment cycle.
• This year marks the 15th anniversary for the National Pan-Hellenic Council within Indianapolis. IU Indianapolis’s chapters continue to take in membership and welcomed Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. into the council this year. 
• The 20/20 Experience serves as an all-Greek educational program, and it has thrived throughout the fall, averaging more than 120 men and women attending programs ranging from social justice, mental health and Indianapolis resources. 
• Membership highlight: Khrisma McMurray from Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. ran for election for an at-large seat on the Warren Township school board in Indiana.

Student Governments

• Student governments have continued serving the campus by being advocates for students on 20 different IU and IU Indianapolis level committees that range from faculty/academic affairs, student affairs, prevention and inclusion committees.
• The Graduate and Professional Student Government, with assistance and collaboration from Institutional Research and Decision Support, conducted a monumental report on the overall experience of graduate and professional students. More than 900 students provided feedback, which came out to a 22.5 percent response rate. 

Student Activities Programming Board

• While adapting to the pandemic, the programming board worked hard to develop safety plans and compliance with new restrictions and heightened safety measures. To date, the board has completed 24 different programs with attendance of more than 1,000 individuals since the start of the fall semester.

Civic Engagement

• IU Indianapolis has been recognized nationwide for its student voting engagement, including the All In Campus Democracy Challenge Silver Seal, while also being designated a 2019-20 Voter Friendly Campus and being named one of Washington Monthly’s Top Institutions for Student Voting in 2020. The campus was able to secure two grants from Campus Compact and from Ask Every Student to assist in messaging and election centered tools. 
• During the 2020 election cycle, IU Indianapolis academic units, departments and student organizations hosted more than 60 events ranging from voter registration, deliberative dialogues and understanding voter rights.

Students looking to get involved with an organization or stay up to date on activities and events can do so on The Spot.