Into the second week of the semester, LSU Student Government prepares to carry out two initiatives, bringing new opportunities to the University’s campus.
The first of these initiatives is disbanding the LSU Honors College Student Council and absorbing into the SG Senate in the form of a new Honors College Council.
“It’s been a two-year process of figuring out how to make it work,” said SG Vice President Leah Sanders. “[SG is] really excited to have pretty much every academic area of campus … represented in Student Government.”
On Wednesday, the SG Senate will vote on a resolution to confirm the creation of the council. If passed, the council will be created and members will be voted on and appointed to office in the following week, SG executive Press Secretary Beth Carter said.
Sanders also said the Honors College will not be using funds from SG, but will continue to be funded separately.
Another initiative rolling out around campus is the preparation for SG’s involvement in LSUPD’s “Stay Safe LSU” month.
“I think it’s just an awareness thing,” said SG President Jason Badeaux. “Sometimes [students] are oblivious to the things going on around us and [students] aren’t properly trained to handle situations we could come into.”
Around campus, students can start to see preparations from SG for the upcoming “Stay Safe LSU” month through the “We’re Committed” campaign’s coffee sleeves, currently being distributed at Highland Coffees.
Beginning Sept. 6, SG will participate in activities throughout the month, including LSU Public Safety Day, LSU Health Center’s Safety, Sun and Sex event, Residential Life Consent Presentations and more.
“I think what [Stay Safe LSU] month does is it draws attention and awareness to the issues that are there and how to best protect yourself and keep yourself safe while [students] are here at the University,” Badeaux said.
In addition to the many safety services the University currently offers, such as the LSU Shield app and consultations at the Health Center, SG will also be promoting a new policy change at the University encouraging students to act responsibly, Badeaux said.
The policy will protect students involved in drug or alcohol-related incidents that require help from emergency services, under qualifying circumstances, from being penalized by the University’s Code of Student Conduct through medical amnesty.
The rudimentary policy has been drafted by Badeaux and submitted to the Dean of Students and Student Advocacy & Accountability, and is currently undergoing work on the language and insurance that the legal implications are acceptable, Badeaux said.
The policy is slated to be finished by the end of the fall 2017 semester and enacted in spring 2018.
“[The policy change] has been pushed in the past and died years and years ago,” Badeaux said. “[SG] picked it back up and built a coalition around it and I think it’s going to be really successful once it passes by the end of the fall.”