The Student Government Association (SGA) convened for their second meeting of the semester in the BC rooms of Lankford Student Union on Tuesday, Sept. 3. The meeting featured topics including the university’s Orca TV LancerAds contract and students’ thoughts on the new facilities on campus.
This week’s meeting began with a presentation from ARAMARK. Marketing employees Gina DeMarco, a university alumna and former SGA senator, and Kimberly Thompson spoke to the Senate about encouraging students to utilize Longwood Dining’s Resources.
One feature the ARAMARK employees highlighted was that students make an appointment with Grant Avent, director of Longwood Dining Services, for a walk-through tour of the dining facilities. By doing so, students can learn about how Longwood Dining can accommodate any dietary restrictions they may have.
In addition, DeMarco and Thompson said students can attend Longwood Dining’s first Dine with the Director session on Sept. 19. The event allows students to ask Avent, and typically Brenda Ferguson, assistant director for Operational Excellence, as well, questions about Longwood Dining and voice their opinions. DeMarco added that the new Lancer Park Commons Provisions on Demand (P.O.D.) area is accessible to all students from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and can be accessed through the back entrance even when the main Commons building is closed.
Following the ARAMARK presentation, SGA President Haley Vest swore in four Conduct Board justices. Nominations for executive senator were then brought before the Senate. Adam Fletcher had previously been nominated. Senator Jessica Darst was then nominated and accepted the nomination. Senator O’Neishea Edmonds was also nominated but politely declined. After a closed session, the Senate announced that Fletcher and Darst had both been appointed as executive senators. Wil Miles was sworn in as sophomore class president.
Webmaster Kasey Haddock brought up the first concern of this week’s open forum session. She said that students would like a Farmville Area Bus (FAB) stop at the university’s new Speech, Hearing and Learning Services building on West Third Street.
Edmonds reported that students would like a water fountain option in the Lancer Park P.O.D. She has also suggested to DeMarco that there be bottled Starbucks drinks in the P.O.D.
Also regarding Longwood Dining, Virginia 21 Representative Brandon Kelly said that the temperature has recently been extremely hot throughout Dorrill Dining Hall with the exception of the dish receptacle area. Miles added that it has also been hot in Lankford Student Union’s Lancer Café. Another senator added that the upstairs area in Janet D. Greenwood Library has also been high in temperature.
Historian Paige Rollins said some students in the new Lancer Park would like more dumpsters and recycling areas. Students would also like access to the gym in the Lancer Park Commons building before the 11 a.m. opening time. Edmonds said that it cannot be open that early because desk staff will not be in the building to supervise the gym at that time.
Another senator asked if it was possible to have a Campus Recreation representative on the Senate. Vice President Steven Sommer said the position is not in the constitution but can be brought up at the next executive board meeting.
Vest then launched into her executive report. She and Dr. Tim Pierson, vice president for Student Affairs and SGA adviser, are working on promoting voter registration tool TurboVote. This tool will be provided for free by Virginia 21. Students can have voter registration forms and a pre-stamped envelope marked for their local voter registration office sent to them. Vest said she and Pierson aim to get at least 1,000 Longwood students to register via TurboVote. There should be a link on MyLongwood in the near future.
Vest added that there will be a debate between faculty members to celebrate Constitution Day on Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. in Jarman Auditorium. The debate will concern gun control and constitutional rights and is co-sponsored by the SGA, Lancer Productions and Lankford Student Union.
Vest also brought up the university’s Orca TV contract. Longwood’s branch of Orca TV called LancerAds and is meant to advertise campus organizations with video content. There is another year left in the current contract, and Pierson asked students if they believe it is worth renewing. While some senators believed it was worth promoting more in the next year and even giving another chance, others thought it was underused and not worth the funds needed to keep it running.
Joe Gills, a student representative from the Quality Enhancement Plan Working Group that is working to promote undergraduate research, visited the Senate. He informed the SGA that an undergraduate research center is in the works. There will be open forum sessions on Sept. 10 at 8:15 a.m. in Hull Auditorium and on Sept. 11 at 12 p.m. in the D-Hall annex.
The next SGA meeting will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 3:45 p.m. in the BC rooms of the Student Union.
