SGA starts year with ambitious goals

By: Benjamin Cook

Posted: 9/16/09

This year, Colby's Student Government Association (SGA) has proposed an ambitious roadmap with the hope that SGA will become a more visible presence and a stronger voice of the student body. "There will be a focus on individual responsibility and goal accomplishments," SGA President Jake Fischer '10 said.

Each member of the SGA Executive Board, Class Presidents and Dorm Presidents will be responsible for working on projects that best serve the constituency they represent. "Not only will this balance the workload, but also it will ensure that the goals are completed and done well," he said.

Fischer will be dedicating his time as SGA President to college affairs and campus life. One of his major goals includes drafting a new Statement of Student Rights and Responsibility. After the April 12 Incident, in which members of the community alleged that Campus Security used excessive force while restraining two students, Fischer believes that it is crucial for the College to release a revised and more articulate document.

This Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities is already in the drafting process and once the Student Affairs Committee approves it, it will become a permanent part of the Colby Student Handbook.

Fischer also wants to establish more unity between student organizations on campus. Although every student group ultimately has its own mission, he expects that communication between clubs will lead to bigger and better events. Representatives from the Pugh Community Board (PCB) and the Student Programming Board (SPB) will be in regular attendance at bi-weekly SGA meetings.

Three other projects that Fischer will be working on include a new Fall Orientation program for all members of SGA, a Colby Clothing Closet and the design of survey questions for students. The Fall Orientation program will be an off-campus retreat where SGA members will have the opportunity to formally meet one another and consolidate their goals for the year. The Colby Clothing Closet will be a place where alumni can donate used business attire, which will be made available to students free of charge. Survey questions will be a regular feature on the SGA website (www.colby.edu/sga). It will be an important way for SGA to receive student input on administrative issues that they have the power to change.

SGA Vice President Katie Unsworth '10 will be focusing on academics. Also serving as the Colby Outdoor Orientation Trip (COOT2) Coordinator, she plays a major role in shaping the first-years' premier academic experience. Unsworth plans to revamp Iced COOT2, the orientation program offered to Feb Frosh when they return from their semester abroad. Similar to the traditional COOT2 experience, she hopes that Iced COOT2 will be just as welcoming.

Unsworth also aims to work with the administration to offer academic recognition for experiential learning. She hopes to start partnerships with organizations such as the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), so that students have even more options for JanPlan. Improving the EN115 (English Composition) course, and organizing the Fall and Spring SGA elections are a few other items on Unsworth's agenda for the year.

SGA Treasurer Audell Scarlett '10 will be allocating SGA funds in a way that best serves the entire Colby student body. Through initiatives such as the Colby Clothing Closet, SGA spending will be focused on programs that reach the greatest number of people. The complimentary newspaper service will also resume this year. Free copies of the New York Times and the local Morning Sentinel will be available at various locations around campus.

SGA Publicity Chair Ricky Schwartz '11 will be working hard to make SGA more accessible to students. "We're dedicated to democracy," Schwartz said. "A lot of people don't know what SGA can do for them…we want more face to face interaction." He encourages people to visit the SGA website, which not only features a blog and a Google calendar of campus events, but also has links to local menus and other services.

Schwartz plans to post SGA news on campus wide posters and on whiteboards located throughout the Pulver Pavilion. A Facebook group and a Twitter page are also in the works. Over the next few months, Schwartz will also be planning for this semester's Winter Carnival, which he promises will be "bigger and better" than ever.

SGA Parliamentarian Julie Achenbaum '10 will concentrate on internal SGA affairs. She will be overseeing the fall and spring SGA elections, and helping class presidents elections and the formation of well as the First-Year Class Council. She will also be co-chairing the Housing and Facilities Advisory Committee with Justin Rouse '12. This committee will seek to improve the housing lottery process for next year.

SGA Webmaster John Clauson '10 will be updating the SGA website regularly and tracking data from SGA surveys. He plans to hold office hours, where he will host a Linux support desk for students who are interested in using this new operating system on their computers.

The 2009-2010 SGA agenda promises to bring many changes to the College community. Students are encouraged to keep up to date with SGA news by checking out its website and by talking to their SGA representatives. SGA meetings are open to all students.

The first meeting of the year will be held on Sunday, October 4 at 7 p.m. in Page Commons.