2008 Woodie Awards
Student clubs will present seven priorities
Officers to tell administrators their concerns at meeting March 7
By: Michelle Oyola
Issue date: 2/23/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Student organization club officers and Student Government Association members voted to discuss some familiar topics with university administrators during the Spring 2006 Officer's Summit held Feb. 17.
This semester's Officer's Summit included two parts: the Delegate's Agenda and Campus Connections.
At the Delegate's Agenda, SGA members and officers came up with a list of issues and concerns at Webster. The officers then decided on seven topics through a vote. The seven topics with the most votes will be presented to university administrators at the SGA meeting to be held at 3 p.m. March 7 in the Sunnen Lounge.
Webster University president Richard Meyers will attend, along with five vice presidents. The administrators will discuss how these issues can or cannot be remedied. All officers, along with the student body, are invited to attend.
The seven issues to be presented are: study abroad, 37 votes; facilities and equipment upgrades, 25 votes; campus development, 23 votes; recycling, 17 votes; campus beautification, 15 votes; 24-hour access to media labs, 14 votes; and wider sidewalks, 14 votes.
At the 2005 summit, recycling, improved lighting and landscaping and 24-hour access to computer labs were discussed. However, the officers brought up new reasons for presenting these issues to administrators again. Officers said more recycling bins need to be installed. Campus beautification includes sculptures, foundations and landscaping, but not lighting. The 24-hour accessibility needs to be expanded to all departments, officers said.
The study abroad issue involves expanding course
selections at study abroad locations so other majors can participate in the program. For example, officers of the Dance Club said they cannot study abroad currently because they cannot take a year off dancing. No campuses offer a dance program.
Facilities and equipment includes upgrading the media, art and science departments.
Campus development requests an update on what is planned for the campus regarding construction.
Wider sidewalks were suggested especially next to Maria Hall and on Garden Avenue.
In previous years, the Delegates' Agenda issues were presented immediately to administrators. However, there was a last-minute change in Meyers' schedule, said John Ginsburg, student activities director. Ginsburg said the delay could be positive, because students will have two and a half weeks to thoroughly prepare and consider.
Come Together Right Now
Club officers and SGA members discussed ways of improving communication during the Campus Connections portion.
Trevor Zickgraf, SGA president, said the executive board is considering revamping the SGA budget system and creating an SGA Congress. The SGA Congress would include representatives from every organization. The Congress would decide its own budget structure. Clubs would have more of a say in how the money is handled.
The Congress also would serve as a means to see which clubs are the most active. The clubs that care and are extremely active will receive more money, said Justin Charboneau, arts and sciences senator. The Congress would decide which clubs deserve more funding.
"We want all clubs to have full benefits of the system," Charboneau said.
Zickgraf said there has been a lot of debate over this issue, and no decisions have been made. He asked officers for comments. Discussions lasted for about 20 minutes, and the majority of officers who voiced their opinion said SGA members are elected to make budget decisions, and government should be kept as simple as possible. However, they all expressed a need for better communication.
Zickgraf suggested having something that resembles the officers' summit once a month - "Something not as formal, not as drastic," Zickgraf said.
Many officers voiced their support for the idea. One officer pointed out that the current format is hard on students' schedules. She said many officers had to skip class so they could stay for the entire meeting, which lasted three and a half hours.
Nick McGeehon, SGA comptroller, said more clubs need to get involved. Not all clubs were represented at the Officer's Summit.
"We need the rest of those people here, not just the ones who are always involved," McGeehon said.
Other suggestions included making funding mark-offs for clubs that do not attend meetings and summits. Ginsburg suggested having clubs turn in their registration forms once a semester as opposed to once a year.
This semester's Officer's Summit included two parts: the Delegate's Agenda and Campus Connections.
At the Delegate's Agenda, SGA members and officers came up with a list of issues and concerns at Webster. The officers then decided on seven topics through a vote. The seven topics with the most votes will be presented to university administrators at the SGA meeting to be held at 3 p.m. March 7 in the Sunnen Lounge.
Webster University president Richard Meyers will attend, along with five vice presidents. The administrators will discuss how these issues can or cannot be remedied. All officers, along with the student body, are invited to attend.
The seven issues to be presented are: study abroad, 37 votes; facilities and equipment upgrades, 25 votes; campus development, 23 votes; recycling, 17 votes; campus beautification, 15 votes; 24-hour access to media labs, 14 votes; and wider sidewalks, 14 votes.
At the 2005 summit, recycling, improved lighting and landscaping and 24-hour access to computer labs were discussed. However, the officers brought up new reasons for presenting these issues to administrators again. Officers said more recycling bins need to be installed. Campus beautification includes sculptures, foundations and landscaping, but not lighting. The 24-hour accessibility needs to be expanded to all departments, officers said.
The study abroad issue involves expanding course
selections at study abroad locations so other majors can participate in the program. For example, officers of the Dance Club said they cannot study abroad currently because they cannot take a year off dancing. No campuses offer a dance program.
Facilities and equipment includes upgrading the media, art and science departments.
Campus development requests an update on what is planned for the campus regarding construction.
Wider sidewalks were suggested especially next to Maria Hall and on Garden Avenue.
In previous years, the Delegates' Agenda issues were presented immediately to administrators. However, there was a last-minute change in Meyers' schedule, said John Ginsburg, student activities director. Ginsburg said the delay could be positive, because students will have two and a half weeks to thoroughly prepare and consider.
Come Together Right Now
Club officers and SGA members discussed ways of improving communication during the Campus Connections portion.
Trevor Zickgraf, SGA president, said the executive board is considering revamping the SGA budget system and creating an SGA Congress. The SGA Congress would include representatives from every organization. The Congress would decide its own budget structure. Clubs would have more of a say in how the money is handled.
The Congress also would serve as a means to see which clubs are the most active. The clubs that care and are extremely active will receive more money, said Justin Charboneau, arts and sciences senator. The Congress would decide which clubs deserve more funding.
"We want all clubs to have full benefits of the system," Charboneau said.
Zickgraf said there has been a lot of debate over this issue, and no decisions have been made. He asked officers for comments. Discussions lasted for about 20 minutes, and the majority of officers who voiced their opinion said SGA members are elected to make budget decisions, and government should be kept as simple as possible. However, they all expressed a need for better communication.
Zickgraf suggested having something that resembles the officers' summit once a month - "Something not as formal, not as drastic," Zickgraf said.
Many officers voiced their support for the idea. One officer pointed out that the current format is hard on students' schedules. She said many officers had to skip class so they could stay for the entire meeting, which lasted three and a half hours.
Nick McGeehon, SGA comptroller, said more clubs need to get involved. Not all clubs were represented at the Officer's Summit.
"We need the rest of those people here, not just the ones who are always involved," McGeehon said.
Other suggestions included making funding mark-offs for clubs that do not attend meetings and summits. Ginsburg suggested having clubs turn in their registration forms once a semester as opposed to once a year.