Opinions Editor
The Student Government Association welcomed a new senator this past Sunday night. Freshman Melissa Milich joined the SGA as a senator for the class of 2015.
“My class president, she posted on our Facebook group saying they were looking for more people and I was definitely interested,” said Milich. “I’m just looking to get more involved and I just thought it’d be a cool leadership position to take on.”
Milich’s role as a senator involves representing her classmates in the student senate and to the SGA General Council. Senators are also placed on committees with an SGA Executive Board Vice President. Senators like Milich work with these committees, as well as participate in “office hours” throughout the week. Every member of the SGA has a time slot during the week where they spend a couple of hours in the SGA office in the Campus Union. This way they are available for students who may have issues to bring to the SGA.
Milich got involved quickly, participating in a lively discussion about possible policy change suggestions.
“I liked it. I thought it was great; just hearing everyone’s different opinions from sophomores, seniors and everyone else,” said Milich. “It’s definitely making me start thinking [of] different things going on, what I can do to help my class and everyone else.”
This week, the SGA will also be trying to reach out to the student body and get suggestions for how to improve what the SGA does and life on campus for everyone. This Thursday, and on this past Tuesday, Public Relations Coordinator Becca Jacobson, and the Public Relations Committee, will be in the Campus Union from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. with a “Helping Hand Tree.”
“When you walk in you’re either going to get a leaf or a hand, we haven’t exactly cut things out yet,” said Jacobson. “Then you’re going to write your name on the front, and on the back just an idea you have for the SGA.”
Jacobson is looking for students to write down any kind of concern or questions, as she is hoping to get a large amount of feedback.
“So if you have you know ‘oh for a fundraiser, you guys should totally do this,’” said Jacobson. “Or ‘in the spring, we really want you guys to give out bubbles.’”
The Student Government is always looking for feedback from the student body. There are SGA suggestion boxes located around campus in buildings such as the Wellness Center and the Campus Union. These boxes were put in place by last year’s SGA Executive Board. Despite a minor bump in the road that included misplaced keys to the boxes, Jacobson will continue to utilize the suggestion boxes and make sure they are checked weekly.
“They’re going to be checked once a week,” said Jacobson. “So that way we can bring them back to the [Executive] Board meetings which happen every other week; it’s constant feedback in a cycle so you don’t drop one in on January first, and we don’t talk about it until April. If you put it in, it’s going to be heard within the next week.”
If students keep suggestions going, the SGA will be able to act upon them and give the students a louder voice on campus. Whether it is the “Helping Hands Tree” or the suggestion boxes, the SGA is looking for the largest amount of feedback possible.
Josh Ernst may be reached at jernst@springfieldcollege.edu