By Matthew Fowler, Managing Editor
The Student Government Association’s executive board is working on plans to improve campus, and its members say they have big goals for the rest of the semester.
SGA president Nathan Galicia said that he and the executive team plan to focus on improving the student experience at Newman.
“My main goals are based off what my team and I were running off, which was to make every student feel seen, heard and included at Newman,” Galicia said. “All of our goals for bills this year are geared toward that.
Due to factors including invoices being sent to an inactive faculty email and accounting errors, some outside SGA’s control, Newman’s SGA ran over its budget last year. SGA’s allocation from student fees for this year is expected to arrive in November.
Galicia said that one of the ways senators hope to conserve SGA’s budget this year is by requiring clubs that request funds to contribute some of their own money.
“We are trying to implement a ratio situation starting next semester for clubs to invest in themselves because I am a huge believer that if you want something to happen, you have to invest in yourself before you can invest in everything else,” Galicia said.
Weekly SGA meetings, which are open to the public, happen at 8 a.m. on Fridays in the Alumni Lounge on the second floor of the Dugan Library, and Dean of Students and SGA adviser Andi Giesen said the meetings give students an opportunity to engage with SGA.
“Everybody’s welcome to come,” Giesen said. “The more, the merrier. It really is fun when we have guests come in there, so I would encourage anybody to come participate.”
SGA senators hope to engage more with the Newman community this year, Giesen said.
“They want to be service oriented,” she said. “They want to give to the university campus at large. They want to be active in giving and doing and interacting out in the community outside of Newman, as well.”
If students have questions about SGA or have any suggestions, Galicia encourages them to reach out. Suggestions can be left in the SGA request box in the Student Activity Center of Dugan Library, and Galicia can be reached through GroupMe and his student email, galicia602131@newmanu.edu.
“I am also everywhere on campus, so find me at any point,” Galicia said. “Just come and talk to me. I am a very social person, so I would gladly talk to people.”
PHOTO: Courtesy, Unsplash
