This page created by Devin M. O'Malley '09, is a page for students to get know about their campus' Student Government Association.
Make a Difference, Join SGA
Do you have an interest in getting involved on campus? Want to fix problems and bring change on campus? Perhaps you want to boost up your resume for law or med school. No matter your intentions, Student Government Association (SGA) is the place where you can make these things happen. Meetings take place every other week at 7:00 pm in the Media Room beneath The Commons. These meetings generally only last a half hour, so the time commitment is minimal for the work you could possibly accomplish. A regular meeting of the General Assembly usually proceeds in this fashion:
Announcements
-Advertise your club or team's upcoming activity
Club/Committee Reports
-Clubs/Committees can report on past meetings or events
New Business
-Want to create a club? Introduce your constitution here (after getting it approved by Billie Eaves, of course)
Old Business
-Discussion and voting on necessary matters
Discussion/Open Forum
-Have an issue with something on campus? Raise awareness here!
In recent years, students have changed the representation policy in order to better hear the voice of the student. The current representation system allows each graduating year ten representatives. It was the goal of the SGA General Assembly to be able to give representation to each niche within the community. So far, the representation policy has been a success, and the administration looks to SGA as a sort of "test market" for new ideas they want to implement. While this may seem as somewhat of a minor change, it is a good example of the projects you can work on while a member of Student Government. Too many times problems on your campus are left unfixed because your peers think "someone else will fix it." Be the one to take action! Who knows, it may lead you into a leadership position on the Executive Board.
Progress Towards Change
For years, students at W&J have complained about the dining options on campus. Finally, the Executive Board of SGA, in conjunction with Aaron Weaver (GM of Parkhurst Dining Services) held a forum on meal plan options on November 6, 2008. Students filled the Media Room in anticipation of having their opinions heard. The meeting went exceptionally well; students were respectful of Mr. Weaver and his time, and Weaver was receptive to what the students had to say.
Since the meeting, Weaver and the SGA Exec. Board have created a Dining Services Committee to work with Parkhurst and administration for changes to dining offerings. The Dining Services Committee is a good cross-section of the W&J community; the eight member committee consists of athletes, Greeks, independents, students from all four classes, and half men and women. They will act as the liason between the students and the management of Parkhurst Dining Services in order to see that students' reasonable requests are accomodated in the upcoming year.
While Parkhurst is a business and they need to protect their bottom line, Weaver is optimistic that he will be able to initiate a new system of meal plans for the 2009-2010 academic year. "Input from students is a great start, and with the help of SGA we will continue to gather information from students. The next step is crunching the numbers and seeing what will work. I am confident all parties will be happy next year when students arrive on campus," stated Aaron Weaver.
SGA's Madam President
The following is a first-person narrative based on an interview done with SGA President Marissa Cocciolone...
When I was a freshman, Student Government wasn't even on my radar. I was literally peer-pressured into attending a meeting by a friend who thought I would like it. I remember sitting at the meeting, surrounded by people that I'd seen around campus but didn't really know. The officers were discussing options for the Spring Concert, one of the biggest entertainment events of the year. That was when I began to realize the actual impact the SGA had on campus. It reached beyond picking concerts. Student Government decided how to allocate money on campus and generally provided an open forum for students to voice concerns and opinions. It was actual progress, and I wanted to be a part of that.
After that I was genuinely interested; I went to meetings and looked for every opportunity I could to participate. Eventually, I ran and was elected Secretary of the Executive Board. It was a lot of work, but as an officer I had the opportunity to make higher up decisions and communicate directly with the board of trustees. For the first time, I felt like I had the ability to change the way things worked on campus. In that spirit, I ran for President the following year - and won. As President, I've had the chance to do a lot of really cool things. I was invited to be a groundbreaker at the dedication of the Swanson Science Center this past fall. I actually sat next to and talked with John Swanson himself. Hearing the history of his career as well as his views on education and philanthropy was an awesome experience - one that I obviously wouldn't have had without my involvement in Student Government.
It's clear that I've had a great experience within the SGA. What students should know, however, is that anyone can. I encourage every person I talk to to get involved in SGA. I sound like a broken record when I say you can "make a difference," but seriously, it's true. SGA affects most clubs, influences school policies, and is the best opportunity to make your voice count. Everyone has an opinion about our school; only some people actually do something about it. I'd highly recommend becoming a part of the latter - the sooner the better.
How to Get Involved
1. Sign up for elections at the beginning of the year! You can pick up a petition in the HUB.
2. Meetings are held every other Thursday at 7pm in the Media Room beneath The Commons, drop by sometime!
3. Join the Facebook Group
4. Visit the SGA Website!
Student Government Association (SGA)
