The Student Government Association convened yesterday evening for the second meeting of the semester.
During the open forum, John Eckert, chairman of the Great Issues Committee, spoke about a spring speaker series, while Eric Hunt, a senior in Parks College, noted the Alumni Mentoring Program in which students and alumni apply and are matched to provide insight for the student. “The overall goal is not to get students jobs,” said Hunt, adding that the career center functions in that capacity and currently almost 50 alumni have expressed willingness to participate.
President Michael Rozier gave his State of the Association Address, citing that this year, “We have been through much.” He followed this statement saying “The tuition increase this year is the lowest it has been in a decade.” Rozier also addressed the parking dilemma of earlier this year–“We found a zero-cost solution to the problem.”
“SGA continues to be strong for one reason,” Rozier said. He credited the current senators as that reason, highlighting the myriad of events and projects soon to be under way, including the recycling program, the faculty course ratings on life.slu.edu and online residence hall sign-ups.
“We must not lose focus of our ongoing goal,” he continued. “What have you done to bridge the gap between students and SGA?”
Rozier addressed the accusatory remarks against SGA by students, which called the senators and the organization “inefficient,” “arrogant” and “building their own resum?s.” Rozier asked the assembly, “Are they right?” and then said, “It is our job to prove them wrong.”
“We must continually look at ourselves,” he urged, encouraging students to talk to their constituents, citing the weekly two-hour meetings as the easiest part of their job. He then focused on the true heart of SGA and the possibilities the future holds: “Ideas become reality; students’ questions are answered…the potential is there, but it takes special people like you to realize it.”
In other business, the Web Advisory Council and the Information Security Council gave reports and stated that they need one representative each. The Information Security Council will deal with such issues as the safety risks associated with making forwarding SLU mail accounts to others (i.e. Hotmail) accessible. Rozier also said that the Provost Search Committee will be holding four separate student forums.
Reinert Senator Joel Samuels informed the assembly that system of using Billiken Bucks in lieu of change for laundry machines in Griesedieck Hall, Marguerite Hall, Reinert Hall and Marchetti Towers will be functioning by the end of this week hopefully, definitely by the next. He added that one quarter will allow students to wash or dry their clothes for 15 more minutes.
Suggestions were also made for more blue lights around campus and the current implementations of the lights. Areas noted were the walkway behind Fusz and the path to Grand Forest.
Senator Mary Elizabeth Curtice expressed her dismay over the recent University News editorial that “celebrated” the tuition increase. She urged senators to write to the newspaper, saying that only getting the increase down to 3 percent is laudable.
The meeting ended with unanimous glee at Sarcone’s statement regarding the tuition increase: “Unless it’s 0 percent, I’m not happy.”
