After planning an inauguration event, the Student Government Association discussed what they’ve achieved this year.
First, during the Thursday, April 15, meeting, SGA members planned an event for the upcoming inauguration of president-elect, Amanda Denbo, business senior, and her running mate, Tristan Williamson, English junior.
Members allocated a budget of $700 for the event and plan to hand out free hot dogs to students on April 22 — the day they will be inaugurated.
During a discussion of possible ideas, Chaz Briscoe, political science junior, outlined his intentions for the event.
“We want to do something fun,” he said. “Something that says ‘This is who we are.’”
After the meeting, members discussed their achievements this year.
“We were able to confront the smoking issue,” current SGA president James Bonsall, business junior, said.
“Even though we weren’t able to get anything done, we at least made it known that students are not happy with the issue,” he said.
Denbo and SGA senate chair Jonathan Moody, psychology junior, were impressed with the progress of the association.
“I’m proud of the personal growth I’ve see within the members,” Denbo said.
Moody said they focused on the development of the SGA and student involvement.
“We needed to get all of our ducks in a row if we wanted people to think we are legitimate,” Moody said. “People aren’t going to think that if we’re scrambling around.”
Many of the members said they were proud of the recent recycling initiative. The recycling program, called Single Stream Recycling, was started last year after more than two years of planning.
“The Single Stream Recycling initiative is a pretty big deal,” Williamson said.
Seuth Chaleunphonh, dean of Campus Life and acting director of Residence Life, said he thought the recycling program was huge for the SGA.
“I think it’s something different and we waited many years to get it done,” Chaleunphonh said. “James and Amanda accomplished this fairly early in their administration.”
Other members were impressed with meeting attendance and growing diversity.
“I think we have been a lot better about going to our committee meetings,” SGA press secretary Candice Boudreaux, business junior, said.
SGA senator Blake Seigneurie, biology sophomore, said the SGA needed more members.
“I think taking people in from different groups might just be beneficial and might add to the growth IUS is seeing right now as a whole,” Seigneurie said. “I hope it continues on next year.”
SGA senator Johann Pedolzky, political science and philosophy senior, will be graduating.
SGA senators Briscoe and Beverly Raley, international studies and French junior, will not be returning to the SGA in the fall semester due to both of them having scheduling conflicts.
By MATTHEW CHINN
Staff Writer
mchinn@umail.us.edu
