The Student Government Senate held its first meeting Wednesday. The brief meeting consisted primarily of reports by the legislative committee heads and executive staff members, most focusing on easing the Senate’s process to give money to students and student organizations. Sabina Tungaraza, assistant director of finance, said SG bought the computer program Quicken for the finance department to keep better track of the group’s funds. She also said she would soon meet with members of the Programs, Support and Initiatives Fund – set up to support student organizations and events – to start distributing money to “deserving students.” David Iseral, College of Arts and Sciences senator who serves as chairman of the Senate’s Finance Committee, said the committee was working to streamline SG money distribution. Student leaders were not the only ones who reported working to put more money into the hands of students. Michelle Lowery, assistant director to the dean of students, said she and the Center for Student Leadership and Involvement worked with student organization advisers to increase student group awareness about receiving SG funds. SG Director of Academics Bradley Tolar said his department worked to get students textbooks. He cited the executive staff’s work to buy a textbook exchange Web site for University student use and goal of increasing the number of textbooks available for rent in the library. Micaela de Gruy, SG assistant director of programming, mentioned the executive staff’s preliminary plans for the annual Battle of the Bands and Groovin’ on the Grounds events. Battle of the Bands is scheduled for Oct. 5 in the Greek Amphitheater. The date for Groovin’ on the Grounds is not set, but it will likely be held on a Saturday as a music festival. Liz Dunn, SG assistant director of academics, discussed plans for a new course management system, based on student surveys from last year, that is under review by faculty and administrators. Clark Lanius, chief of staff operations, said SG plans to host a student competition to design the Fall Fest T-shirt. The winning designer will receive a monetary award. Vice President Josh King spoke about Ruckus, an online music-downloading system, which is working with the University to provide free music downloads to students. President Cassie Alsfeld spoke about her role in reducing the recently passed Student Union and Union Theater fee increase. “My entire summer was devoted to this issue,” she said. “We successfully procured an internal audit, which lowered the fee by 15 percent.” Alsfeld said she was selected to serve as a panelist on the Sept. 4 gubernatorial debate hosted by Fox News and the League of Women Voters.
—-Contact Daniel McBride at [email protected]