The Student Government Association announced at its March 22 meeting that the Faculty Senate has approved its Mandatory Syllabus Policy.

The approval of this bill represents a significant increase in the influence of the SGA in determining IUS policies.

“I believe this is the first piece of legislation the Faculty Senate has approved that has been put forward by the SGA,” Kevin Evans, secondary education junior, SGA vice president and the bill’s sponsor, said.

The Mandatory Syllabus Policy will require faculty to post a course syllabus for each of their classes on Oncourse at least 24 hours before students register for courses. The syllabuses should include the number of assignments required for the course, examination dates, the instructor’s make-up policy and other relevant course requirements.

Evans also announced the Faculty Senate is considering approving the Fundamental Course Description, which would require faculty to submit detailed descriptions of the content covered in each of their courses.

The Fundamental Course Description Policy aims to provide students with a specific enough description of courses so students can make informed decisions when registering for classes.

Stephon Moore, political science and journalism freshman and SGA press secretary, proposed the SGA hold its final meeting of the 49th Student Senate Session on April 12.

Moore said holding the last meeting of the current session on April 12 would draw the current session out long enough to give the SGA sufficient time to draft and adopt the budget for the 2012 Week of Welcome activities, which are being funded out of the current budget.

It would also end the current session early enough to give the SGA officers of the 50th Senate Session enough time to meet and determine which direction they would like to move forward before the spring semester ends.

The SGA voted in favor of Moore’s proposal and the current session will formally come to an end on April 12.

Cory Dixon, chemistry sophomore and president of  the SGA Election Commission, announced the results of the SGA elections held from March 20-22.

Elected to the SGA Senate are:

•    Drew Appel, criminal justice freshman
•    Micaela Dale, business, marketing and management junior
•    Jeremy Eiler, marketing freshman
•    Ashely Kern, secondary education freshman
•    Ryan Malone, psychology sophomore
•    Stephon Moore, political science and journalism freshman
•    Stephen Prather, radiology junior
•    Dejan Tomanic, international studies and political science junior
•    Shanda-Lyn Webb, special education freshman

The newly elected senators will be sworn in and take up their seats when the 50th SGA Session opens on April 19. They will also elect members to senate officer positions.

Victoria Bennett, political science and international studies senior, and Mary Mour, political science senior, have been elected as SGA president-elect and SGA vice president-elect, respectively.

Josh Kornberg, communications senior and SGA president, and Evans will formally hand over their offices to Bennett and Mour on April 5 at the Campus Commitment to Student Learning Ceremony. The “Best SGA Senator” and “Best SGA Member” awards for the 49th Senate Session will also be presented at the ceremony.

Though Bennett and Mour have not yet taken office, they said they are already busy planning and preparing for the 50th Senate Session.
“This might surprise you, but students don’t like the SGA,” Mour said. “It is one of our goals — Victoria and I — to change that.”

By AMANDA BROWN

Staff

anb4@umail.iu.edu