By Cait Kemp
@caitlinkemp09
The Springfield College Student Government Association (SGA) works closely with the administration to create relationships and form bonds between students and faculty. According to SGA President Doug Wydom, the organization’s goals are to make student life as fulfilling as possible, and its perspective helps to show the school what the students’ needs are to make the experience the best it can be.
Wydom and his team of representatives and student government members accomplished many tasks this past semester. The past several years, COVID-19 had been the major issue that SGA and other College groups had to face. Now, with less of a focus on the pandemic, SGA is able to look at different issues facing the student body.
The theme of the past semester has been transparency. Wydom’s goal this school year was to inform more students about what SGA does and how it is affecting them. He implemented open meetings, where any student can attend to listen in, share their thoughts and get a sense of what SGA is doing on campus.
“We’ve done a lot to try to provide more transparency and trying to get student voices represented more toward not just the administration but toward the trustees,” Wydom said.
Wydom also attended the Board of Trustees meeting as SGA president, the first time that a student in that position has been invited. In the past, a student trustee attended the Board meetings, but now with Wydom’s presence, more student perspectives will be available to the board, giving a direct point of view of campus life to the decisions being made about the school.
“We have two student opinions to talk to the trustees, so I think it shows the school is looking for a way to allow students to voice their opinions a little more where it really matters,” Wydom said.
SGA has seen success in other areas as well, especially campus involvement. It helped welcome five new clubs at the beginning of the school year, making for 42 active clubs on campus.
Moving forward, SGA hopes to have more student involvement in their open meetings and with elections coming up for next year. This semester, Wydom created the initiative to have each of the representatives host or collaborate on an event with their group. For example, the student representative for commuters will plan an event inviting commuters to hang out and have a fun environment to go to. This will allow for support and recognition of the groups that the student government represents, creating a tight-knit community on Alden Street.
Other involvement includes opportunities to give back to the community, with the Pride Pantry and the Dance Marathon. SGA is sure to make an effort to contribute to both of these things to show their support to other clubs and organizations as well as the greater community.
Wydom also sits on the committee for the 10-year campus plan, where he gets an opportunity to voice his opinions on what needs improvement from a student perspective.
“It’s really exciting because we’re trying to have President Cooper come in and talk to SGA about some of the things that are already agreed upon that will be happening in the next five to 10 years,” Wydom said. “It’s really just exciting to have a voice at the table with administration and vice presidents and faculty senate, all those people.”
Photo Courtesy Doug Wydom