Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Student Government Association (SGA) meeting began with a presidential inauguration announcement from Dr. Larissa Fergeson, associate professor of History. She reported that the ceremony, which will take place on Lancaster Mall at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, will be open to all students. SGA Vice President Steven Sommer will greet President W. Taylor Reveley IV on behalf of the student body.
Fergeson said the ceremony will last about an hour and 15 minutes. Following the ceremony, the SGA will escort Reveley down Brock Commons as he rings the Longwood Bell 26 times to symbolize his role as the university’s 26th president.
According to Fergeson, there will be a special inauguration dinner in the Dorrill Dining Hall (D-Hall), where Reveley will meet with students.
To begin open forum, Senator Joe Gills mentioned that the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) naming competition is running until Friday, Nov. 8. The topic is student research/academic inquiry.
Executive Senator Jessica Darst said that students are allegedly stealing cups from D-Hall because to-go cups are no longer offered. Sommer said it is important for students to remember that stealing items from D-Hall is an Honor Code violation.
Webmaster Kasey Haddock said a student has requested that there be a change machine in Curry Hall. She suggested that there be a joint change machine for Curry and Frazer Hall.
Virginia 21 Representative Brandon Kelly brought up the fact that Longwood does not offer healthcare plans to students. He said that a number of universities offer this type of plan and that some schools even include it in students’ tuition.
Historian Paige Rollins moved to approve the constitutions for three organizations: Career Educators, the mission of which is to serve as ambassadors for the Academic Career and Advising Center, put on programming in residence halls and educate students on ACAC resources; the Gaming Club, which is meant to spread the knowledge of different gaming styles including video games, card games, board games, Role Playing Games and Live Action Role Playing; and the Graduate Student Advisory Board, which strives to serve as theofficialvoiceofthegraduate student population on campus. The Senate approved all of the motions.
Darst reported that from the 600 people surveyed at Lancer Madness, it appears that students would like a stallion with a lance as a future statue on campus. More information about this venture will be available soon.
SGA President Haley Vest then discussed the Senate’s official opinion on Zimride/RidePost, which was brought up during the Senate’s Oct. 30 meeting. The overall consensus was that providing students rides with a somewhat costly service is not necessarily a priority because student senators did not feel there was a need for it. The Senate approved the motion to not pursue the project.
On behalf of the Student Finance Committee (SFC), Treasurer Alex Julian moved to allocate $2,677.76 to the Longwood University Peer Health Educators for a conference in November. Vest made a friendly amendment to reduce the allocation to $2,405.52. Julian accepted the amendment and the SGA approved the allocation.
The SGA then approved the SFC’s motions to allocate $854.82 to the National Association for Music Education for a conference, $370.20 to the Student Advisory Board for Premium Outlets shopping trip transportation and $220 to the Longwood Dressage Team.
Students, faculty and staff interested in seeing the SGA at work can attend the next meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 3:45 p.m. in the B and C rooms of the Lankford Student Union.
