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Recently, the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences began an online assessment of the undergraduate departmental representative program for this academic year. The evaluation includes a survey that solicits input on how UDRs can be more effective. 
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Currently, a UDR is "a student or students who serve as student representative(s), organize
department program events and meetings, provide feedback to the department," according to the program's website. 
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This board feels that the UDR program as it currently stands does not live up to its potential. UDRs are best known for hosting one event a semester where students can learn more about the major or minor and meet professors. This alone does not adequately fill the role of a student-department liaison. Hosting a single event does not foster the feedback about the program that the position is supposed to garner. 
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This board would like to see active efforts made to revamp of the current UDR program in order to achieve the position's true potential. 
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One new initiative should be a survey conducted by the UDRs about each department and program, which, similar to course evaluations, would serve as a valuable asset to the department heads to determine where each major and minor succeeds and fails. Currently there is no proper avenue for students to give such feedback about their program and department. Moreover, the information from the survey could be synthesized and made available to students so that they can have all the necessary information to choose a major or minor. 
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All UDRs should also be required to attend the faculty meetings of their respective department. Currently, the UDRS are only told to "possibly attend a portion of one department or program meeting to discuss undergraduate issues," according to the program website. How can a UDR be a proper liaison between the students and faculty if they don't interact with the faculty on a formal level? Department meetings are the premier opportunity to discuss any and all issues students may have with the major or minor and it is imperative for the UDR to be present on a consistent basis. 
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The undergraduate departmental representative is a valuable and necessary position for each department and program. However, in the current state of the program, there is no formal avenue for the UDRs to provide student feedback about the department to their professors. 
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We hope that new measures are implemented so that UDRs can fulfill their role as student-department liaisons.