Florida State University Student Body President Nastassia Janvier outlined her priorities for the year and overall vision for the future of the university during her State of the Student Body address Sept. 8 at the FSU Alumni Center.
President Richard McCullough and Vice President for Student Affairs Amy Hecht delivered opening remarks.
“As student leaders, we are often called to rise to the occasion and face adversity without recognition, and I am so proud of our commitment to our university, our student body, and the dedication that we leave on the idea that by the time we graduate, Florida State is going to be better than how we found it,” Janvier said.
A Haitian-American immigrant, Janvier is the third Black woman to serve as FSU student body president. She described FSU as a microcosm of macro level society and told students that their experiences here are all a depiction of what the world has to offer.
“As the world changes around us, it’s time to set new standards and make change that works for us,” she said. “Through transparency, diverse representation and unyielding courage, we aim to new heights in student leadership at Florida State.”
Janvier emphasized that the fight against COVID-19 is far from over and reiterated to her peers the importance of getting vaccinated and wearing masks.
“As we embark on this new chapter of this semester, we must uplift a shared responsibility for keeping each other safe, which means accountability,” Janvier said. “I can’t stand here alone and fight this pandemic, nor can anyone individually do that in this space, but we can do it together if we commit ourselves to getting vaccinated and wearing our masks.”
While outlining her goals, Janvier stated her administration’s strong support of the recommendations put forth by the President’s Task Force on Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion, which she served on. She also vowed to review hate speech policies on campus and strengthen support and protections against anti-Asian American discrimination. Janvier also announced that SGA will host an anti-Semitism hate speech workshop in collaboration with Jewish Student Organizations and the Jewish Student Union.
“We must encourage and take actions to be decisive against hatred and violence in all ways it manifests,” Janvier said. “We will be working with university administration to emphasize quality over quantity, and recognize that these changes are long overdue.”
An advocate of Title IX improvements, Janvier promised to make preventing and punishing sexual assault an utmost priority to ensure equity in spaces on campus. Her administration is already partnering with victim advocates to increase awareness and resources available to survivors. They are also working to expand the network of angel drink agents in Tallahassee, which are bars with coded drink orders to alert staff that guests feel uncomfortable and need assistance.
Janvier shared updates from her work as chair of the Florida Student Association (FSA), which is comprised of the student body presidents from the 12 public universities in the state of Florida. As chair of the executive board, Janvier is responsible for leading all FSA meetings and represents the 350,000 students of Florida as the student vote on the Board of Governors.
“I want you to realize how crucial and interconnected your work is to our university, to the State University system, but moreover to the state of Florida,” Janvier said. “We stand here today with unlimited potential to shape the future of our university and to achieve new levels and progression that have never been seen before.”
During her speech, Janvier announced that the inaugural FSA conference will take place on FSU’s campus Oct. 16. The conference will highlight the power of degrees when mixed with experiential learning opportunities, and students will be able to meet with local and national companies to further their professional development.
“When we take what we learn in the classroom and apply it to everyday life and the change that we want to make, that’s where the magic happens,” Janvier said. “This conference will bring stakeholders together and create more accessibility for students.”
For more information about the Division of Student Affairs and the Student Government Association, visit studentaffairs.fsu.edu.