By By: Ashley Bergeron
Staff-Writer
It’s been a few issues of The Preface since you heard about what the Student Government Association has been up to, and we’re sure you’ve been anxiously awaiting some new coverage. Let’s get into it.
On Nov. 11, the SGA met with the IU South Bend’s Chancellor, Susan Elrod. Over breakfast, the SGA discussed campus dining and changes to advising. Since the pandemic, Sodexo has been losing money, which is why places like SubConnection and Northside Express have been closed. The chancellor wants Sodexo to be on its own feet and not rely on IU South Bend for its funds. Some ideas that were brought up were moving Starbucks to the same location as SubConnection and introducing a “Food Truck Friday”.
Chancellor Elrod and her colleagues also wanted to discuss their plan to centralize academic advising. Their plan is to have one physical location where students can find an advisor to help them with any subject, which would make it easier for advisors to talk with each other and for students to receive help.
This will be a multi-phase plan. Currently, there are only a small number of advisors whose only role is academic advising; many also hold positions as professors, department heads and more. The location for the offices is most likely to be in the administration building. Chancellor Elrod is planning on having a student focus group to solicit feedback about the plan in January.
During their regularly scheduled meetings over the last few weeks, the SGA has also heard multiple funding requests from student groups.
The Black Student Union (BSU) requested funds for their April trip to Southern Michigan, where they will tour sites significant to African American history. The BSU plans to take 30 students and 10 members of the South Bend community and has received funding from various other sources, including the Civil Rights Heritage Center and the Office of Student Life. The SGA funded the remaining amount that the group needed to host the trip.
IU South Bend’s chapter of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) also requested $2135 to take 12 students to the Midwest Clinic, an event where music students and music education students get to network and attend workshops. The SGA funded the request in full.
Next, the Accounting Association received $500 for a tablecloth and “swag” to distribute at events. Both of these items will spread out the word of the club and the university.
Finally, Titan Vets requested $1590.76 to take two students to the fifteenth annual Student Veteran Association NatCon, an event where student veterans across the country can come to meet and learn from each other by doing break-out sessions. As the SGA funded the request in full, two students from Titan Vets will attend the conference in January.
In his report, President Christian Martinez noted that students should make use of the bus stop in front of the Administration building, as they can show their CrimsonCard to ride the Transpo line for free.
The SGA meets weekly in SAC 206. Once the meeting schedule for next semester is determined, students are encouraged to attend. If you want to keep up with the SGA online, you can find them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Instagram: @iusb_SGA
Twitter: @iu_SGA
Facebook: IUSB Student Government Association
