The Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Nov. 9, to discuss new business and learn about the Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) offered at Fordham.
Jeffrey Ng, Psy.D., CPS director, gave a presentation about what CPS has to offer students. CPS offers students the chance to meet with trained psychologists, and students can either have emergency meetings when they need to speak with someone urgently or, for students who would like to regularly see a therapist, CPS provides a phone screening call to better understand what the student needs and how to help them. Ng stated that there is usually a two-week wait time between having the consultation call and getting connected with a counselor. He explained that along with their own psychological services, they also have a referral service for students to be referred to an off-campus, long- or short-term psychiatrist.
CPS also recently launched a new peer-counseling program where undergraduate students who have been trained by psychologists can meet with students and offer their peers support. The peer counselors help to ease the workload of the trained staff as they work with students who have lower level issues while they reserve students who have more critical cases for the trained professionals.
Executive President Briana Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, announced that the USG Senate will need to let her and Executive Vice President Ava Coogan, FCRH ’25, know as soon as possible if they will be stepping down from their position next semester so they can announce all special elections and vacancies.
Al-Omoush stated that the second Town Hall meeting of the semester is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 5 p.m. and it will cover study abroad concerns as their main topic. She also said that the Senate newsletter templates will be sent out soon, and the finished newsletters should be released around Thanksgiving.
Al-Omoush announced that the CPS syllabi statement proposal — a proposal to include information about CPS in every class syllabus — should be coming by the end of this month.
Vice President of Student Life Brian Inguanti, FCRH ’24, stated that the art show planning is underway and he will be presenting a budget request soon. He also said that his committee will be holding special elections for the vice chair position soon.
Vice President of Communications Ariadna Wong, FCRH ’25, said that she has finished updating the website and she is thinking of making a holiday card post and a finals post to encourage students.
Vice President of Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) Emma Balint, FCRH ’24, stated that, at the FCRH Dean’s Council meeting, students brought up public concerns regarding registration, study abroad and advisor holds. She also said that she is starting to plan the Town Hall with the study abroad subcommittee and the undergraduate research subcommittee is thinking of creating a newsletter to send out to students that showcases all undergraduate research opportunities.
Vice President of Gabelli School of Business (GSB) Catie Flores, GSB ’25, stated that the GSB Dean’s Council is having their small business fair this week and it will either be on Hughes Hall’s terrace or main lobby.
Vice President of Sustainability Sean Power, FCRH ’24, announced that Sustainability Week is this week, and they have activities planned for everyday.
Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Mirei Fukushima, GSB ’25, announced that she is working on getting emails back from people she has reached out to about Bronx Appreciation Week. Vice President of Dining and Facilities Jamie Serruto, FCRH ’24, said that discussions regarding the Aramark contract review are ongoing.
Serruto also announced that he is currently reviewing the proposal that was passed last year about Aramark employees being able to go to religious observances, and his committee is working on the procedure to inform staff about this option in the near future.
