The Student Government Association introduced few new faces to
its chambers on Wednesday. The senate warmly welcomed its 13 new
members to their first meeting, in which both fresh and familiar
faces worked together to reform the Saint Louis University
community.

After recalling last week’s proposed resolution to recommend
that Fair Trade coffee be served in the DeMattias Hall coffee shop,
senators voted in favor of serving Fair Trade. The Senate also
approved charters for two new student organizations and allocated
spot funding for another.

Continuing with its Busch Student Center-tweaking trend, the
Senate deliberated for well over an hour on improving the
effectiveness and policies of the Event Services.

International Student Federation Senator Joel Samuels introduced
a resolution to the Senate, proposing sweeping changes to Event
Services. Many students have expressed great difficulty when
attempting to reserve a venue through Event Services. Eventually,
senators delayed the vote so that they could more thoroughly
approach the resolution.

SGA approved two charters on Wednesday, one for SLU TV and
another for the Sigma Gamma Rho service sorority. For the
uninformed, SLU TV plans to feature programs that are tailored to
the interests of the SLU student. Sigma Gamma Rho is a
service-oriented sorority. Historically an African American
sorority, Sigma Gamma Rho welcomes women from all racial and ethnic
backgrounds. The sorority’s founding members indicated that the
sorority is also socially active. In the past, the organization has
hosted poetry nights, pageants, parties and other social activities
that benefitted charities.

The Senate also voted to allocate $1,000 of spot funding for
SLU’s Crew Club. Members in attendance explained the Crew Club’s
struggles to the Senate. The club will pay $10,000 to the St. Louis
Rowing Club, of which SLU Crew is a member. St. Louis Rowing Club
needs the money to help pay for a new boathouse, which stores the
boats used by SLU’s Crew Club and others. SLU Crew Club was
notified this summer that they would be required to pay the
fee.

SGA’s senators also voted to recommend the use of Fair Trade
coffee in the DeMattias coffee shop. Fair Trade coffee pays farmers
almost a $1 more per pound on average than other coffee companies.
Senators see the resolution as an endeavor to make SLU more
consistent with its Jesuit ideals. The Senate will meet in the
BSC’s Saint Louis Room next Wednesday at 5 p.m.