By Victor Dixon, Editor-in-Chief
The spring semester is almost halfway over — as is two-term Student Government Association President Alondra Valle’s time leading student government. In April, students will elect the next leaders of SGA.
The Vantage recently caught up with Valle and SGA adviser Andi Giesen to find out what the current leadership group wants to do with its remaining time.
Valle said that SGA’s goal remains trying to create a more engaged campus and that it will continue funding club events, hosting its own events and encouraging faculty and staff to participate and be more involved with student activities.
“SGA is here to help those that need it,” she said. “I don’t see a problem with our allocations going towards clubs all the time because that is why we’re here, and they have great ideas so we’re the supporting role in that.”
She and Giesen also gave more information about SGA’s financial picture.
Each year, SGA is allocated money from student fees. In recent years, the allocations have totaled $60,000 to $70,000 a year, depending on enrollment.
A big chunk of that money, Giesen said, is used to maintain Genesis Health Clubs memberships for students, which costs $50,000 a year. SGA has been providing these memberships since 2014.
Undergraduate students are able to utilize the memberships year round at any Genesis location, even over summer or winter break, as long as they are enrolled for the semester following the break. Graduate students are able to purchase the membership at a discounted price of $50 a semester.
SGA’s allocations also go toward paying for the UWill online therapy and telehealth service and toward paying for half of seniors’ graduation stoles. The group also periodically spends money to restock the Jet Refuel Station on campus with coffee pods, coffee creamers, disposable coffee cups, hot chocolate pods and sugar. Earlier this semester, it voted to spend $470 on supplies for the station.
One wish-list item SGA will not be able to pay for, though, is the furniture it planned to buy for the Student Life office. SGA had previously approved a plan to replace the Student Life furniture with new pieces that would match the furnishings in the Student Success Center and the Teaching and Learning Center.
SGA thought it was working with a $25,000 budget for the project. But last semester, treasurer Nathan Galicia caught and corrected a bookkeeping error, and SGA realized it didn’t have enough money to pay for the furniture. The project is still a desire, SGA members say, but it is no longer a priority.
Among the other initiatives that have kept SGA busy this semester: Vice President Gabriel Trevino worked on a project that cost $300 and on Feb. 17 provided free coffee and energy drinks from 7 Brew for students. He’s also working on a proposal for an outreach program to work with student council members at local high schools and help them develop leadership skills.
SGA is also planning to bring back the bubble soccer event it introduced last spring in collaboration with Friends University.
Valle said that she encourages students to attend SGA meetings, which are from 12:15 to 12:50 p.m. Tuesdays in the alumni center. Those who can’t attend in person should be able to start watching online soon as SGA is looking at ways it can begin live streaming its meetings.
“Student government is a resource,” Valle said. “Don’t be scared to go into our meetings.”
PHOTO: Courtesy, Student Government Association
