2008 Woodie Awards
SGA officers spend half of school year training
Heather Cosson
Issue date: 1/8/08 Section: News
Student Government Association (SGA) officials say their purpose is to be the link between the administration and student body, but many students are noticing a lack of activity by the organization.
"I didn't know they existed or that we even had an SGA," junior Calvin Clark said. According to the American Student Government Association (ASGA) Online, an effective student government is "well known and respected by their fellow students for sponsoring and running programs that matter."
"These (student governments) not only provide services that tangibly serve their fellow students, but they get constant positive credit and feedback for doing it," ASGA Online stated. "Students on their campuses know that (the student government) 'does something real.'"
SGA President Everett Robinson said the organization hasn't implemented plans or passed any legislation because they have been training officers during the fall semester.
"No one knows what to do or how to do it," Robinson said, explaining why SGA spent the whole semester training.
Robinson said he went a year without understanding what he was supposed to do when he was a senator. He didn't want the current senators to feel the same way.
Training included role-playing, learning to be unbiased when allocating money to organizations and preparing senators to answer questions from students.
Though no legislation has been passed this year, SGA has helped sponsor pageants and events by the Riot, a group designed to support Patriot athletics.
The only change many students recall being implemented by SGA was the smoking ban during fall 2006.
Robinson's goals for SGA include starting town hall meetings where students can speak their concerns and opinions, more security on campus and for the current SGA class to "be the chain that continues on."
Robinson said he wants SGA to be taken more seriously. He has had each of the 40 senators conduct five surveys to determine what students want changed. This semester, SGA will go over the surveys and determine what they plan to work on, he said.
"I didn't know they existed or that we even had an SGA," junior Calvin Clark said. According to the American Student Government Association (ASGA) Online, an effective student government is "well known and respected by their fellow students for sponsoring and running programs that matter."
"These (student governments) not only provide services that tangibly serve their fellow students, but they get constant positive credit and feedback for doing it," ASGA Online stated. "Students on their campuses know that (the student government) 'does something real.'"
SGA President Everett Robinson said the organization hasn't implemented plans or passed any legislation because they have been training officers during the fall semester.
"No one knows what to do or how to do it," Robinson said, explaining why SGA spent the whole semester training.
Robinson said he went a year without understanding what he was supposed to do when he was a senator. He didn't want the current senators to feel the same way.
Training included role-playing, learning to be unbiased when allocating money to organizations and preparing senators to answer questions from students.
Though no legislation has been passed this year, SGA has helped sponsor pageants and events by the Riot, a group designed to support Patriot athletics.
The only change many students recall being implemented by SGA was the smoking ban during fall 2006.
Robinson's goals for SGA include starting town hall meetings where students can speak their concerns and opinions, more security on campus and for the current SGA class to "be the chain that continues on."
Robinson said he wants SGA to be taken more seriously. He has had each of the 40 senators conduct five surveys to determine what students want changed. This semester, SGA will go over the surveys and determine what they plan to work on, he said.
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