Column by Tyler Montell

Wildcats,

I hope you are surviving the cold and snow. Even though the groundhog saw his shadow this week, we are a brief 35 days from Spring Break. I have never been a big fan of learning my wintery fate from road kill and hopefully spring will come sooner than six weeks.

With the unfortunate nature of last week’s ice storm, I believe it is critical that we as members of the community and residents of the Commonwealth partake in everything we can in order to help our neighbors. Too many people across the state are without power, food and shelter. If you have the opportunity, I encourage you to get out and volunteer at a shelter or donate in any way possible. I know that many of us at Student Government will be volunteering, so if you want to stop in and help out, please let us know.

The ice storm was also eye opening to us students. If you haven’t already signed up for UK Alert — the Emergency Management System on campus — you should take five minutes out of your day and register. You can choose to receive an e-mail, a text message, phone call or other options. With UK Alert, you will always be in the know, and won’t be stuck walking to class next time it gets canceled.

As you might have heard, the Rally For Higher Education was canceled. Considering all of the conditions across the state, we decided that now may not be the most appropriate time to head to Capitol Hill. We still firmly believe in fighting for your tuition rates, but in a time when so many Kentuckians are struggling, state representatives have other things that need to be addressed. We still plan to meet with legislators in Frankfort later this semester and we will keep you posted. Thanks for understanding.

We at SG have a few exciting events to tell you about. Next week, the Student Health Advisory Council will team up with other organizations on campus to help plan KISS Week. KISS Week is a chance for everyone on campus to learn more about sex education. Some of the activities planned include a Dating Doctor, Battle of the Sexes, Speed Dating, and the Art of Kissing. If you’re on campus next week, I’m sure you’ll see signs for activities and opportunities for free stuff.

On Feb. 17, SG will be hosting a technology forum with UKIT. At the forum, we will be discussing many different ideas with the tech department on campus. UKIT is exploring a few possibilities with smart phones and other cool gadgets and an iPod Touch will be given away in a raffle. So come out, grab some free food, and learn a little more about UKIT.

Also around the corner are SG elections for the 2009-2010 school year. If you are interested in politics or just making a change on campus, I would highly encourage you to get involved. SG as a whole has unlimited potential and gives students the opportunity to leave a legacy on campus. The application forms will hopefully be ready in two weeks and will be due sometime in early March. Our offices are always open, so if you are interested in getting involved, stop by. We’ll be happy to answer your questions.