Student Government’s newly-created President’s Cabinet met for the first time Sunday.
SG President J Hudson began the meeting by defining the president’s cabinet as an advisory cabinet to all SG branches. The cabinet discussed issues involving budget cuts at the meeting.
The president’s cabinet has been used by previous administrations with various focuses, but the primary focus of this cabinet is getting students involved in budget cut issues and having representatives from various organizations have a voice in SG. Many members of the cabinet were unable to attend the meeting because of schedule conflicts.
“This is a legislative body that doesn’t have to sit down and write things down but can discuss them,” Hudson said.
The cabinet is composed of 21 members from different areas of campus organizations, including student media, the Department of Residential Life, Greek Life, cultural organizations and leadership organizations.
Hudson said the University has done a good job thus far in making small cuts in many areas to mask budget cuts, but SG needs to reach out to students with the possibility of $62 million in cuts looming.
The cabinet also discussed ways to make the SG letter-writing campaign effective. The campaign aims to have students write letters to legislators advocating against budget cuts.
Budget cuts are affecting students differently, and the cabinet agreed the importance of the letter writing campaign is capturing meaningful and personal experiences.
The cabinet also discussed bus routes and Easy Streets.
Some members voiced issues about the buses getting off schedule and bikers being a problem for pedestrians and cars.
Hudson said some streets will become pedestrians only and other streets will be fixed to reduce car speed and make a lane for bikers.