SGC-MMC launches a new identity-survey

Anna Radinsky/Contributing Writer

The Student Government Council at the Modesto Maidique campus has launched a new two-question survey asking students about how the University can be improved based on the special needs of anyone’s identity.

Miguel Valdes, SGC-MMC’s secretary of diversity and inclusion, said to Student Media that the survey is different from “official” University surveys because it’s a lot more personal.

“One of my goals is to have people be more comfortable going to student-run things and genuinely feel like they can express themselves,” Valdes said. “If they see that we’re working on the things that we got back, then they’re going to be even more comfortable with FIU as a whole.”

The survey was announced on SGA’s Instagram on Monday, Oct. 9, two days before National Coming Out Day and was distributed at a Graham Center tabling event with MPAS LGBTQA Initiatives.

The identity-based survey, Valdes said, was created to get feedback from anyone at FIU to voice the concerns that they may have, how they may be helped and offer their email if they want to get updates on how their concerns are being met.

The first part of the survey, according to Valdes, consists of identity, which includes age, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion and disabilities. The second part of the survey asks only two questions on FIU feedback and an option to provide the respondent’s email.

The survey, he said, will not have a closing date.

“There’s always going to be different issues coming up… I want people to know that there’s a place for them to share their concerns anonymously and straight to SGA,” said Valdes.

Thi Nguyen, a freshman majoring in psychology, took the survey and liked how concise the questions were.

“I think the survey is helpful to the FIU community since it may provide cultural awareness to various ethnicities,” Nguyen said.

Samantha Hanimov, a freshman majoring in communications and a member of the LGBT community, also participated in filling out the survey and said that the University already does a good job for the LGBT communities.

“The survey is good to bring up the concerns and needs of students that wish to be more represented,” Hanimov said.

Students and staff alike are encouraged to take the survey to voice any concerns they have about anything on campus.

Those who wish to take the survey may find it in SGA’s Instagram description @fiusga or at go.fiu.edu/embracefiu.

 

Image retrieved from Instagram video.