SGA offers funding, advocacy for student concerns

Have you ever wanted to start a club on campus, but didn’t know where to begin? Have you wanted to express a concern about an issue on campus, or thought of a suggestion that would make student life better? Did you know that Shawnee State University has an organization that can answer and cater to all of these questions? 

The Student Government Association (SGA) is a student-led organization that looks out for the well-being of all students on campus. The members of SGA are President Elizabeth Sullivan, Vice-President Brandon Reed, Secretary Trevor Zimmerman and Club Coordinator Nicholas Crabtree.

SGA is not only a place for students to express their concerns and wishes, but the organization also helps fund clubs on campus and special events. Every year, SGA distributes funds from its budget to clubs and organizations. Club leaders must be present at every meeting, with the exception of three excused absences, in order to receive the funding, and a report of how the money will be spent is required. This year, $100 is granted to every official campus club per semester. SGA funds approximately 23 clubs and organizations, and some of the most popular are Delight, Illuminate and Dungeon Crawlers. 

SGA meetings are held at 4 p.m. every Tuesday in the Student Resource Hub and are open to the student body. If you cannot attend a meeting or wish to express your concerns in a private way, SGA takes students’ suggestions through email at [email protected], or the form at the following link: https://www.shawnee.edu/campus-life/get-involved/student-government-association/comments-and-suggestions. Guest speakers, such as directors from the Counseling Center, Career Center and Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, frequently appear at SGA meetings. Hazing prevention training is also provided to club and organization leaders. 

As president, Sullivan has regular meetings with Shawnee State University President Jeff Bauer and the Office of the Provost to address major issues within the student body. She takes her role as president of SGA very seriously.

“For me personally, and I am sure for the rest of the executive board, I joined SGA to make a positive difference on campus, and I really hope to accomplish those goals, represent students’ needs and make that change happen this year,” she said.

In the future, Sullivan hopes to establish a rule at SSU stating that professors will not be allowed to assign school work to their students a week before finals unless the school work is already on their syllabus. She also wants to boost attendance and involvement at SGA meetings by declaring a specific time frame on campus where no classes can be held in order for students who are typically in class to be able to participate in meetings. The members of SGA are asking students to take this quick survey to gather data to support this goal: https://shawnee.presence.io/form/sgas-campus-climate-survey.