The UA Dean of Students Office is forming a student advisory team of about 50 students to address real student issues.

The new student leader advisory group will draw its members from various campus organizations, including the Greek system, the Associated Students, peer advisors, the Arizona Daily Wildcat, members of campus cultural resource centers, the Honors Center an d other campus groups.

Dean of Students Melissa Vito said she hopes the advisory board will represent the broadest cross-section of campus. She said the recent campus climate survey gave a complete overview of student feelings.

"It's a way we can maintain broad campus assessment," Vito said.

"Ultimately, all students' voices don't get heard," Vito said of ASUA's representation of students. "It's a large campus."

Vito said that while ASUA has its place and does a good job researching issues, the new advisory board will have a unique function. She said it is hard to know exactly how the team will work, since she wants to leave the specifics up to students.

A Tucson-based group known as Common Enterprises will be working with the newly formed student team, Vito said.

Associate Dean of Students Carol Thompson said that Common Enterprises has been successful in facilitating open communication in local high schools and other areas in the community.

Thompson said that surveys of the campus have shown that students like the diversity and friendliness of the campus, but often do not feel connected to the campus community.

"When I interviewed for this position, I had a list of things I wanted to do," Vito said. "Having an ongoing dialogue with students has always been a priority."

Thompson said other departments have similar advisory boards in place, and hopefully departments without boards will catch on.

"The dean's office has utilized groups of students to look at specific issues," Vito said. "This is the first time we've looked at establishing a long-term type of relationship."

One of the things the students will do is initiate some dialogue with other students and their friends, Vito said.

"I'm just really excited," Thompson said of the new advisory board, which plans to hold its first meeting Sept. 18, from 3 to 5 p.m. at La Paz Residence Hall.

The board will meet once a month, Vito said, with special project teams meeting more frequently.

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