Six months after Colorado Robertson and Shannon Bates triumphed in one of the closest Student Government elections in University history, SG President Robertson said he can check seven of his 28 initiatives off his to-do list. “We’re only a quarter of the way through, but we’re definitely on track to getting it all done,” Robertson said. Robertson said he was especially proud of the library’s new extended hours. “That was a pretty big deal,” Robertson said. “We just hope students continue to use it, and we’d like to see the library administrators continue to invest in study space.”For the extended hours to remain in effect, 200 students have to stay in the library later than midnight every night. Robertson said he counted 307 students exiting the library Monday after 12:30 a.m. SG has been able to extend Campus Transit hours, establish a bus complaint hotline, open additional student access gates for football games, and get debit and credit cards accepted in the Student Union Tiger Lair, Highland Dining and 459 Commons. He has also been able to extend Outtakes’ hours and provide snow cones and hot chocolate during finals week since Robertson took office.Robertson said his biggest initiative, the 9 percent tax exemption on all textbooks, is proving to be the most time-consuming objective. “You have to work with people outside the University and get involved with the political process which is slow and cumbersome,” Robertson said. Robertson said SG will present proposals to the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Council, East Baton Rouge Parish School Board System and State Legislature in an attempt to reduce the taxes. One well-received campaign promise, emergency rain ponchos, will be accomplished shortly. “We’re doing the bidding and ordering them, and we still need to work out some distribution issues,” he said. “They’ll be here soon — and by soon — I mean as long as it takes them to get here from China.”An on-campus farmer’s market could be a reality as early as November. Bates, SG vice president, said insurance issues are the only hold up. “We’re just trying to figure out how to insure it,” Bates said. “But it’s a way to get fresh fruits and vegetables as a healthy dining option for on-campus.”Robertson said a new W policy proposal, which allows students who don’t use their allotted W to roll over one to the next year, is also in the works. “We’re gathering the data so we can say that extra W increases retention rates,” Robertson said. “We said it during campaigning — we don’t believe students should be punished for being a good student.”The committee to form the new W policy resolution met Sept. 25 and designed an outline that will be presented to the provost this week. “We came up with an overall outline with five or six alternatives that other Tier One schools use,” said Meghan Hanna, chair of the Academics, Athletics and Administration Committee. “These other schools are in code with the Flagship Agenda and don’t base it on hours.”Robertson said some of his campaign initiatives cannot be accomplished this year. The $250 “no questions asked” student loan will not be available for students.”You can get an emergency $250 loan from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid, but they will ask questions,” Robertson said. A textbook rental program is also not possible this year. Robertson said the LSU Bookstore’s physical restraints won’t permit a rental program, but it will be possible when the bookstore is moved to the new parking garage that is planned to be built on Raphael Semmes Road. Even though there is skepticism over the public feedings of Mike the Tiger, Robertson hasn’t completely ruled it out.”We didn’t want people to be able to feed Mike,” he said. “We wanted there to be more student interaction, and someone suggested possibly doing a live video feed of Mike. We just want to highlight the daily life of Mike.” Robertson said his administration has not focused on this issue yet. Ginger Guttner, School of Veterinary Medicine spokeswoman, said she has not heard of any plans for increased exposure of Mike.”I would have to talk to Mike’s vet, but I think the live video feed is very unlikely,” Guttner said. Robertson said his administration has experienced some “hiccups” so far, but will use its mistakes to educate future administrations. Robertson said he has learned one important lesson very quickly. “I’ve come to realize you can’t make everyone happy,” he said. “There’s always going to be one person who doesn’t agree with your decisions. But we’re here to serve the majority of students.”—-Contact Katie Kennedy at [email protected]