On the heels of a tumultuous election filled with disqualifications and appeals, Student Government President John Woodard and his administration started the semester steady when he ensured students would still benefit from the free Scantron initiative.
The program was limited to only midterms and finals week last semester by former SG President Taylor Cox, but Woodard said the program will continue and will be funded through sponsorships.
As SG worked to keep initiatives operating, SG passed legislation that aids student organizations in starting their own programs.
The Programs, Support and Initiatives Fund supports concerts, paid admission events, relief funding for recreational sports, charting new student organizations and funding unique student organization initiatives.
The amendment to SG’s first bill repurposed $250,000 that has been sitting untouched in an account since the mid-90s, said Speaker pro tempore Trey Schwartzenburg.
While SG opened the door to more money for student organizations, students will soon be walking through the door of new retail spaces in the Student Union.
Next January, students can expect to see two ICEE machines and in the fall, an Auntie Anne’s Pretzels in the Union and a passport office as part of the Career Services renovation. SG has acted as the liaison between students and the Office of Auxiliary Services to bring attention to the needs of student services. A frozen yogurt stand, dry cleaners, pharmacy and optometrist are being considered to fill retail space when the renovation is complete next April.
Among other student services SG is bringing to campus is the Middleton Library’s new study room reservation process, which will become streamlined by moving online much like the Office of Evaluation and Assessment’s testing signup. Students can expect to utilize this as early as the spring 2014 semester.
SG presented the idea to Middleton Library at the beginning of the semester, but the plan to implement the new system became definite only recently, said SG Vice President Taylor Parks.
In addition to establishing services on campus, SG took stances on controversial issues that loomed around campus.
The first was a proposal of a resolution to Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity to apologize for their offensive banner about Kent State. While no resolution was written, DKE President Spencer Crane apologized at an SG senate meeting two weeks later.
As DKE worked on improving its integrity, SG passed a resolution aiming to improve the academic integrity of University students.
The resolution asks for incorporating an honor code and honor board in the University Code of Student Conduct.
SG didn’t stop at trying to improve the integrity of students, it listened to the concerns of students regarding the fall break and Tiger Stadium line debacles. Students waited in line for the footbal game against UAB longer than usual causing frustration among students. Students were frustrated waiting in line as well as waitng for fall break to start. Many students were disappointed fall break fell two weeks after midterms and two weeks before Thanksgiving break. SG senators agreed the timing of the break seemed counterintuitive.
Woodard met with LSU Athletics to find solutions to ease entry into Tiger Stadium while SG Senate proposed a resolution requesting the Office of the University Registrar to schedule fall break before Oct. 31.