Thursday, January 30, 1992
Politics on campus:
Personality clashes mar SGA image
Jones
Timoth
The Collegian
I know absolutely
nothing about SGA,"
says 4th semester
biology major Wendy Moyer. "I
just know it's student
government. When you go to an
event, it's usually sponsored by
SPC or JRC. I've never heard of
anything done by SGA."
Diane Beck, 2nd semester
business, shares those
sentiments. "SGA helps plan
events, but I don't really know
what they actually do," she
explains.
SGA consists of a president
(David Mahoney), a vice
president (Jason Bates), two
treasurers (Mary Magcstro and
Steve Binder), a secretary (Gail
Scnoski) and a parliamentarian
(Dan D'Ambrosio). Nine
commuter senators, live resident
senators, two freshmen senators
and seven council presidents
make up the rest of SGA.
The council presidents arc the
official representatives to SGA
for their respective organizations
and are governed by the
constitutions of their specified
groups. Each commuter and
resident senator represents the
interests and opinions of their
respective students at the
meetings of SGA and helps
communicate student government
issues and activities to the
students they represent.
Resident senator Brian Biddle
says, "Residents, except for
people who know me, have not
come up to me, but people do try
and get a hold of me.
"In Niagara Hall," he
explains, "the roof was being
repaired and there was a terrible
smell. Some of the residents
came to me and explained their
concerns with the asphalt smell."
Freshman senators represent
the interests and opinions of their
respective class at the meetings
of SGA.
The members of the Executive
Board have their own duties and
responsibilities.
Some of the president's
additional tasks include calling
and presiding over all SGA
meetings, being empowered to
represent the student body in
discussions or negotiations with
the administration, faculty, and
staff of the College and
University, and representing the
student body on ceremonial
occasions.
The vice president assists the
president in planning,
coordinating, and nurturing the
organization's activities and
serves as chairperson for the
Traffic Appeals Board.
The two treasurers maintain
the financial accounts for all
registered student clubs and
organizations and are responsible
for strict operation of SGA
budget in accordance with
University policy as prescribed
by student senate.
The secretary is responsible
for the accurate recording of the
minutes of SGA meetings and
assists the president on the
general operations of the SGA
office. The parliamentarian is
responsible for ensuring
appropriate conduct at Student
Senate meetings.
In spile of student criticisms,
vice-president Jason Bates
believes SGA has done a great
deal for the campus this year.
"We passed constitutions that
SOC (Student Organization
Council) brings to our attention.
The Chess, History and Monty
Python clubs constitutions have
just been passed. There is a
Budget Committee that allocates
the money that organizations get.
"There is a Traffic Appeals
Board where the members get
together and hear complaints."
Most of those complaints
involve traffic violations and
citations, he adds.
"Our services also contained
All-U-Day', a spring break trip,
and an Erindalc trip to Canada,"
Bates says.
The trip to Erindale, Bchrend’s
"SGA hasn't done a thing this year. Why is a good question.
We have dead-weight and people who don't show up."
"sister-school” within the
University of Toronto, has drawn
fire from several critics who felt
the activity was merely "a parly
for people who went on the trip,"
according to Bates.
Paula Holabaugh, who was in
charge of the Erindalc expedition,
stresses that the trip was
educational and not a party, and
that those involved were able to
meet with different students and
share American/Canadian ideas.
Other problems have
continued to plague SGA this
year, however. The inner fighting
between members, the "petty
issues," as some put it, and the
absence of a secretary last
* l/AAVI i
F eatures
Greg Geibel/77ie Collegian
Keeping Busy: Eric Pine, one of two Freshmen Senators, fields a telephone
call in the SGA office. In spite of the hectic office environment, many
students question the effectiveness of the current SGA system.
semester have made it a less than
stellar year for SGA.
The members arc divided over
how SGA has been this year.
"Everyone is doing their job,
communter senator Joe Mycka
says. "Sometimes you hit a spot
where you go into a slump and
raise up again. Hopefully we
won't all slump at once. I believe
SGA is doing well and things are
picking up."
Others are less optimistic.
Chris Hilden, SPC (Student
Programming Council) treasurer,
says, "Issues arc becoming
personal and the issues aren't
important."
"They (SGA members) aren't
working on real issues," he
continues. "Some have avoided
working toward goals and focused
on non-issues and wasted time
and effort of people who have
tried to help."
SPC President Mark Johnson
agrees.
"SGA hasn’t done a thing this
year," he says.”lV hy is a good
question. Wc have dead-weight
and people who don't show up.
Plus we've spent time on trivial
issues."
Steve Fuller, SOC president,
also mentions the obstacle of low
student involvement.
"SGA is there for the campus.
It's been sort of crazy and
disorganized, but we are starting
to come together and we are
getting it to work right. Students
need to come to us and let us
know what it is we can do for
them. We haven't had a lot of
student input."
Another reason people believe
SGA has not been effective has
been the choice of issues that arc
covered.
Lori Royer, SOC vice
president, says, "This year SGA
had a highly self-motivated group
of people. Unfortunately, the
leadership dragged out certain
issues after Senate voted on them
and a lot of positive things that
SGA, SOC, and other
organizations accomplished were
overshadowed by a few negative
issues."
Negative issues included a
drawn-out argument concerning
access to the SGA computer and
: out our rows Wire for
■ * mm
- Mark Johnson
SPC President
Page 7
the possibility of installing
telephones near the tennis courts.
Many SGA members believe
these problems are in the past,
however.
"With all of this behind us,
we can accomplish something
great. We have many goals and it
would be great if we sat down and
accomplished one," says SPC
President Johnson.
Those goals include: 1.)
increasing student awareness and
enrollment in SGA and other
organizations by enhancing the
Student Activities Fair; 2.)
promoting school spirit through
Spirit Week, pep rallies, and
College Video Tape
programming; and 3.) improving
weekend social activities by
boosting intramurals and Bruno's
programming.
In addition, members hope to
generate interest in SGA by
planning for elections in advance
and maintaining an election
committee throughout the year.
If steps like these arc taken,
Vice President Bates predicts a
brighter future for SGA.
"SGA hasn't been productive,
but the wheels are greased and we
are finally ready to go."
Timothy Jones, a 4th
semester English major, is a
regular theater critic for The
Collegian 's Entertainment
section.