TIGER TV ONLINE REPORTER

SG President Stuart Watkins and Vice President Martina Scheuermann are moving starting this school year with new goals and initiatives after completing nearly 80 percent of their push card plans this summer.

Summer initiatives included putting more vending machines in Middleton Library, a discount on concessions at sports events for students using Tiger Cash and a night route added to the bus system.

Vice president Martina Scheuermann said getting students to and from campus safely is a big concern.

Long-term goals for the semester include assessing the new bus system, setting a standard for the Student Health Center to give students excuses for illness and creating a textbook rental program.

“With a 5 percent tuition increase, we’ve got to look at ways to give students a break,” Watson said.

Watson also said he is unhappy with the way Student Government has spent money in the past and wants to be more financially responsible than previous administrations.

“Money for academic initiatives was used for the away game bus trip,” Watson said. “We have to use money more responsibly.”

New offices in the Union are also part of the big picture for SG this year.

“We’re more visible and available and that will help with student outreach,” said Speaker of the Senate Tyler Martin. “We’re dependent on student ideas. We need them to tell us what they need.”

Martin also said the Senate wants to continue to reach out and help student organizations this year with its program “Orgs to Geaux.”

Since 80 percent of Watson and Scheuermann’s push card is done or in the process of being completed, Scheuermann said the executive branch must look ahead to what they will do next semester.

“Next semester I want to be working on student ideas,” Scheuermann said. “There’s always room for improvement.”

“Others who ran also had great ideas,” Watson said. “Our job is to go to work for an entire year. We can’t just stop when it’s done.”