The Student Government Association (SGA) welcomed four new members at the Senate’s Tuesday, Jan. 29 meeting. President Donald Knight swore in Kendall Lofton as junior class vice president, Ashlie Robertson as Greek Representative, Blake Shaw as the Cook-Cole College of Arts & Sciences Representative and one Conduct Board Justice.
Representatives from Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) Fraternity for Women then made an appearance to notify the SGA about their recruitment process. ZTA is recolonizing the Alpha chapter at Longwood and started the recruitment process on Jan. 28. ZTA will be tabling at Dorrill Dining Hall (D-Hall)
for the next two weeks. ZTA’s “Think Pink. Think Zeta” week, in honor of their philanthropy for breast cancer awareness and education, will last from Feb. 1-8. National officers will host info-views from Feb. 10-13 with open houses on Feb. 12 and 13, followed by the ZTA
Preference Party on Feb. 14. The ZTA representatives said the fraternity is looking for young women who are “super devoted” and expect to have a full chapter of over
60 in three weeks. The Student Philanthropy
Council, a new organization on campus, also visited the SGA to ask for the Senate’s support and encourage students to make donations to the university that will go toward funding scholarships, programs and other student resources.
To begin open forum, Press Secretary David Clipp said it would be beneficial for there to be signs that warn drivers to yield to pedestrians on crosswalks. Longwood University Police Department Chief of Police Bob Beach, who briefly attended the meeting, reminded students that it is only a requirement for drivers to stop at crosswalks if people are on the crosswalks, not approaching them.
Another senator asked if the town of Farmville could put speed bumps on before crosswalks to slow down approaching vehicles that are driving above the speed limit. Representative Michael Albrecht will bring this up at the Town Council meeting in February.
One representative said physically disabled students in wheelchairs were told that instead of being transported to class in covered, motorized carts when it rains, they should not attend class on those days. This will be looked into through Disability Resources.
The Senate brought several more concerns to the table before the end of open forum. A representative said there have been complaints about unlevel tables at D-Hall. A senator said there are also concerns about longboarder safety on the streets. Lastly, a student would like to see D-Hall workers re-allocated to the Panini Station at D-Hall during busy hours.
The SGA has posted applications on their website for senators and freshman class representatives due by tomorrow at 5 p.m. and encourages those interested to apply.
In budget news, the Student Finance Committee (SFC) allocated $2,800 to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity for conference fees. The SFC then granted $1,500 from the EPA A account and an additional $10 to the Honor Student Association and the junior and senior class. The SFC then allocated $10 to the junior class for spirit night promotion.
The SFC then reallocated $575.73 to Peer Health Educators for finals week massages and allocated $1,065.73 for the organization to continue the program this spring. SFC also reallocated funds to L ATE, granting the organization $406.97.
The next SGA meeting will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 5intheBCroomsofthe Lankford Student Union.
