Spring Break
SGA set back by a lack of participation
Jacob Edfeldt
Issue date: 9/22/08 Section: News
What are you doing every Tuesday afternoon around lunch time? For a group of Shorter students, they are meeting for the Student Government Association, otherwise known as SGA.
However, the amount of student involvement has been decreasing over the past couple years. But, why?
"I didn't feel that we saw all the products of our efforts," said junior Steffy Boyd, former SGA participant.
With the seemingly decreasing popularity of the campus organization, changes to the group are being demanded.
"I wish there was more involvement from both faculty and students," junior Cara Colvard said.
Brittni Dekle, junior, said "I wish that we had more student support and involvement from the Shorter student body."
However, there are some students, who have remained on SGA since they were freshman.
Junior Jennifer Folsom said, "I like to remain informed. I also like helping make the decisions for the student body."
This year, the student government has changed its main objective.
"This year, SGA is working on more publicity. We want to also help other organizations run their events," said David Dockery, SGA treasurer. "We want to make sure events are going on campus all the time, but we don't want the events to overlap. We also want this year to be more about what the students want and need."
In years past, each class would vote on a group of students to be their class officers. However, last year the students voted to do away with class officers.
Messer said, "The senators from each class and the SGA Executive officers would run what the class officers ran. For instance, when there are class meetings, the senators from that class would run those meetings."
Like other changes made this year, there are not freshmen senators this semester.
"We felt that the freshman class should get used to their college experience first," said Messer. "Right now, since there aren't freshmen senators, the SGA Executive Council is running their meetings."
After this semester, the freshmen class will hold elections for their 7 senators. Then those senators would start attending SGA in the spring.
As of now, there are 17 out of a possible 21 students on the SGA Senate.
For more information about getting involved with SGA, contact any one of the SGA Executive Council members, whose office is located upstairs in the Fitton Student Union.
However, the amount of student involvement has been decreasing over the past couple years. But, why?
"I didn't feel that we saw all the products of our efforts," said junior Steffy Boyd, former SGA participant.
With the seemingly decreasing popularity of the campus organization, changes to the group are being demanded.
"I wish there was more involvement from both faculty and students," junior Cara Colvard said.
Brittni Dekle, junior, said "I wish that we had more student support and involvement from the Shorter student body."
However, there are some students, who have remained on SGA since they were freshman.
Junior Jennifer Folsom said, "I like to remain informed. I also like helping make the decisions for the student body."
This year, the student government has changed its main objective.
"This year, SGA is working on more publicity. We want to also help other organizations run their events," said David Dockery, SGA treasurer. "We want to make sure events are going on campus all the time, but we don't want the events to overlap. We also want this year to be more about what the students want and need."
In years past, each class would vote on a group of students to be their class officers. However, last year the students voted to do away with class officers.
Messer said, "The senators from each class and the SGA Executive officers would run what the class officers ran. For instance, when there are class meetings, the senators from that class would run those meetings."
Like other changes made this year, there are not freshmen senators this semester.
"We felt that the freshman class should get used to their college experience first," said Messer. "Right now, since there aren't freshmen senators, the SGA Executive Council is running their meetings."
After this semester, the freshmen class will hold elections for their 7 senators. Then those senators would start attending SGA in the spring.
As of now, there are 17 out of a possible 21 students on the SGA Senate.
For more information about getting involved with SGA, contact any one of the SGA Executive Council members, whose office is located upstairs in the Fitton Student Union.
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