2008 Woodie Awards
SGA pushes for textbook exchange program
SGA members want to offer students an alternative to bookstore prices
By: Lanz Christian Banes
Issue date: 2/23/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The Student Government Association established a new committee Feb. 21 to address the high prices of textbooks at Webster's bookstore.
Specifically, the new committee will begin a dialogue with the bookstore, asking them to explain why books at the bookstore are priced so high compared to other book sources. The committee will also begin the creation of a student book exchange program where students would meet in a designated area on specific days to exchange textbooks for little or no cost.
Junior Ben Berges, a senator-at-large, proposed the idea at the Feb. 7 SGA meeting, but it was tabled.
"It's a painful process almost," Berges said about buying books at the bookstore.
Berges wants to have a preliminary model of the textbook exchange program by fall 2006. The proposal received positive comments from the other members of SGA, with some discussions about the legality of an exchange program, such us contracts the university has with the bookstore.
Food service
Three food service companies have made a bid for the university's food contract: Sodexho, Chartwells and Foodman, said Ted Hoef, SGA adviser.
However, the university rejected Foodman's bid, so now only Sodexho, Webster's current food service provider, and Chartwells are finalists.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 8 and 9, Sodexho and Chartwells will make a formal presentation in the University Center Sunnen Lounge. Hoef encouraged students to come, particularly to the March 8 event, since the companies will focus mostly on catering accommodations March 9.
New club
SGA recognized the Comic Book Society as a new funded student organization. The club is both an appreciation and hands-on club, whose future activities include inviting speakers, discussing original scripts and encouraging child literacy by hosting a child-friendly comic book drive.
Student Grant Fund
• The Ultimate Frisbee Club was allocated $1,500 for the annual ultimate frisbee Frostbite Tournament in Springfield, Mo.
• The Radio Television News Directors Association was allocated $1,000 for a trip to the National Association of Broadcast Conference.
• A group of students was allocated $300 for a trip to the Missouri Association for Blacks in Higher Education meeting in Columbia, Mo.
• Junior Luis Blanco, president of Students in Free Enterprise, was allocated $250 for a March 9 through 15 trip to Guatemala.
Other business
• A proposed SGA Congress that would be composed of student organization representatives met with favor at the Officer's Summit last week, said Trevor Zickgraf, SGA president. Zickgraf gave an initial suggestion to hold an informal meeting once a month, since the organizations want to increase communication with SGA, but at a less formal level.
• Changes to the SGA constitution were proposed, wherein "good standing" would be better defined. SGA, as per general procedure on constitutional changes, will vote on the issue on the next meeting March 7.
• A tree has been uprooted in the Quad, apparently in preparations to lay down the foundations for the new information kiosk, said Zickgraf.
• A treadmill in the Fitness Center that had been in disrepair for months is now in working order, said John Ginsburg, SGA adviser and UC director.
• SGA denied a request by Scandalmakers, an SGA club, for $3000 for two marathon nights to watch "Arrested Development," the show for which the club was founded.
• Another education senator position has opened. SGA is accepting applications, which can be found on the SGA Web site, http://www.webster.edu/sga. The School of Education is now without direct representation to SGA.
• A motion was made and passed to limit allocation for all student groups to $300 from this point on.
Specifically, the new committee will begin a dialogue with the bookstore, asking them to explain why books at the bookstore are priced so high compared to other book sources. The committee will also begin the creation of a student book exchange program where students would meet in a designated area on specific days to exchange textbooks for little or no cost.
Junior Ben Berges, a senator-at-large, proposed the idea at the Feb. 7 SGA meeting, but it was tabled.
"It's a painful process almost," Berges said about buying books at the bookstore.
Berges wants to have a preliminary model of the textbook exchange program by fall 2006. The proposal received positive comments from the other members of SGA, with some discussions about the legality of an exchange program, such us contracts the university has with the bookstore.
Food service
Three food service companies have made a bid for the university's food contract: Sodexho, Chartwells and Foodman, said Ted Hoef, SGA adviser.
However, the university rejected Foodman's bid, so now only Sodexho, Webster's current food service provider, and Chartwells are finalists.
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 8 and 9, Sodexho and Chartwells will make a formal presentation in the University Center Sunnen Lounge. Hoef encouraged students to come, particularly to the March 8 event, since the companies will focus mostly on catering accommodations March 9.
New club
SGA recognized the Comic Book Society as a new funded student organization. The club is both an appreciation and hands-on club, whose future activities include inviting speakers, discussing original scripts and encouraging child literacy by hosting a child-friendly comic book drive.
Student Grant Fund
• The Ultimate Frisbee Club was allocated $1,500 for the annual ultimate frisbee Frostbite Tournament in Springfield, Mo.
• The Radio Television News Directors Association was allocated $1,000 for a trip to the National Association of Broadcast Conference.
• A group of students was allocated $300 for a trip to the Missouri Association for Blacks in Higher Education meeting in Columbia, Mo.
• Junior Luis Blanco, president of Students in Free Enterprise, was allocated $250 for a March 9 through 15 trip to Guatemala.
Other business
• A proposed SGA Congress that would be composed of student organization representatives met with favor at the Officer's Summit last week, said Trevor Zickgraf, SGA president. Zickgraf gave an initial suggestion to hold an informal meeting once a month, since the organizations want to increase communication with SGA, but at a less formal level.
• Changes to the SGA constitution were proposed, wherein "good standing" would be better defined. SGA, as per general procedure on constitutional changes, will vote on the issue on the next meeting March 7.
• A tree has been uprooted in the Quad, apparently in preparations to lay down the foundations for the new information kiosk, said Zickgraf.
• A treadmill in the Fitness Center that had been in disrepair for months is now in working order, said John Ginsburg, SGA adviser and UC director.
• SGA denied a request by Scandalmakers, an SGA club, for $3000 for two marathon nights to watch "Arrested Development," the show for which the club was founded.
• Another education senator position has opened. SGA is accepting applications, which can be found on the SGA Web site, http://www.webster.edu/sga. The School of Education is now without direct representation to SGA.
• A motion was made and passed to limit allocation for all student groups to $300 from this point on.