The Student Government Association is now under the guidance of a new administration led by President Matt Ryan.

Ryan said many of his fellow classmates have not made the effort to engage in student government, but that he hopes for a big change this year.

Starting this fall, the office hours for the SGA will be open to the public in the Busch Student Center. SGA said it hopes that students stop by and share their opinions directly with an executive board member, with the information provided by the organization to be readily available.

Participation in SGA will also be encouraged every weekend. Ryan, along with Scott Hessel, the vice president of internal affairs, will be hosting Box Lunch Saturdays each week. Certain student groups, as well as interested individuals, are welcome to bring their own lunch and take part in this event. Ryan said that those who attend can expect lively discussion during the meal and a true sense of involvement in their student government.

John Serpas, the financial vice president, said he is working on creating financial guidelines that are easier for students to understand, specifically those for student groups. Chartered Student Organizations, apply to receive funding each spring from SGA. With new changes, Serpas said many groups can request the finances they need with more understanding of the process than in previous years.

Last year, the process to create a more united campus began to make headway with the Oath of Inclusion. Reminding students that a stronger community and a better world are more easily attained with both shared ambition and discovery, the Oath sets the tone for what the SGA said it hopes to accomplish with this new year. SGA Vice President of Diversity Kripa Sreepada will be speaking about the Oath on Saturday, Aug. 26 during SLU’s Welcome Week activities.

To keep the student body  informed of SGA initiatives, the  newsletter, sent out to all students’ email inboxes, will see an update this year. The former text document will now be condensed into a video, which will be sent out on either a weekly or biweekly basis. With many  ideas being implemented this year,  SGA said it assures that the community at SLU will become even more engaged and united than ever before.