Members of the Digital EducationCollaborative (DEC) and Lankford Student Union visited the Student GovernmentAssociation (SGA) at the beginning of the Tuesday, Feb. 12 meeting. President Donald Knight was not present for this week’s meeting.
Dr. Jeannine Perry, dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, andBrittanyPendleton, DEC member and graduate assistant,spoketothe SGA about Canvas by Instructure, the university’s new Learning Management System starting in May.
The SGA expressed their support for Canvas and said they would encourage faculty to use Canvas frequently.
Susan Sullivan, director of the Lankford Student Union and Activites, and student union staff member Malvin Eanes also visited the SGA regarding the use of the bowling alley in the student union’s Recreation Center. They said there has not been a great deal of activity in the bowling alley, and they may get rid of it in the near future.
Several senators said they approve with stopping the operation of the bowling alley as long as it is replaced with something else. Among the ideas for a replacement until the new Student Center is in operation in about three years were an after hours study space, a group meeting room and a home theater room.
Sullivan said all students will receive an email survey within the next week or soaskinghowthegeneral student body feels about the bowling alley. To begin open forum,
ExecutiveSenatorHaley Vest said some students have complained that the SGA does not address important issues and simply discusses “water fountains and toilet seats.”
The Senate exchanged ideas regarding how to ask students about the issues that are important to them, such as putting out suggestion boxes in important areas, talking to students on Brock Commons, utilizing social media to ask students what issues the SGA should address and releasing Google Docs where students can provide input.
In continuing open forum, Vice President Brian Reid suggestedrestructuring howclasscouncilsare currently labeled (freshman, sophomore,juniorand senior) next year and naming councils by their class years to keep the names the same and not associating a class with the actions of another the year before.
Another senator also expressed concerns about the warm temperature of the water in the Chichester ScienceCenterwater fountains.
Historian Paige Rollins announced that she is part of the university’s 175th Anniversary Committee and would like to hear students’ opinions of what can be done to celebrate.
Among the committee’s current ideas were a cake, pep rally and giveaways, but Rollins said they would likemorecelebration suggestions.
Reid read Knight’s charge totheSGA,whichwas for the Senate to become familiar with all of the offices and services on campus in order to point students with questions in the right direction.
Rollins then brought the Longwood Club Softball Constitution forward, which the SGA approved.
Treasurer Queen Burrell then brought several budget requests to the SGA on behalf of the Student Finance Committee (SFC). The SFC approved $21,000 to Lancer Productions for Spring Weekend, $1,150.87 to Baptist Collegiate Ministries for their Spring Break missions trip, $1,200 to the Senior Class for food for Senior Week and $111 to the Ambassadors for hotel fees.
The next SGA meeting will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 19 in the BC rooms of Lankford Student Union.
