By: Emmalee Anglemyer
Staff-Writer & Cartoonist
This week we’ll be covering the Student Government Association’s Nov. 8 and Nov. 15 meetings.
On Nov. 1, SGA Treasurer Jonathan Swartzentruber stepped down from his position for personal reasons. On Nov. 8, President Chloe Garner noted that the SGA’s Search and Screen Committee is reviewing candidates to fill the position and will conduct interviews soon.
Vice President David Saleh also presented the Nov. 8 Senator Shout Out to Senator Caleb Rice, whom Saleh praised as being very active on campus during election season, highlighting his involvement in the American Democracy Project. Saleh also said that Rice is a strong advocate for the interests of the student body and would make “an amazing addition” to any committee.
The SGA also passed their Open Educational Resources resolution on Nov. 8. OERs are free educational resources, such as textbooks, journal articles and online courses, that professors can offer to reduce costs associated with classes. Currently, only 10% of IU South Bend instructors are using OERs, and this resolution seeks to increase that number. The SGA senate approved the resolution, which will be presented to the Faculty Senate later this month.
In addition to the resolution, the SGA discussed the viability of implementing recreational courts near campus housing using the Future Titan Ingenuity Fund. Each student pays a fee of $12 per credit hour called the Student Activity Fee, and these funds from each fall and spring semester are allocated to various campus departments and athletics; however, the Student Activity Fee funds from summer semesters are not used in this budget, so they have accumulated over years.
The FTIF is the SGA’s name for this fund, and its purpose is to make improvements on campus and allow for long-term development initiatives, investing in the success and happiness of future Titans. According to a survey conducted by the SGA, 73% of students responded positively to the idea of recreational courts on campus. The funding request was approved by the Senate and planning for the courts should start in the near future.
On Nov. 15, Senator Jack Laney reported on behalf of the Academic Organizational Design and Implementation Committee. The AODI Committee is very broad, covering many aspects of campus structure. One such aspect is the recent re-organization of the colleges at IU South Bend. Previously, IU South Bend was organized under a six-college system, which has now been changed to a two-college system, each previous college now being recognized as a “school” under either of the two colleges.
Senator Laney expressed concerns from faculty members considering the organizational change. The shift saw a huge change in staff organization, even combining some positions, which also caused an unexpected increase in work for staff and faculty. Senator Laney noted that this shift could encourage professors to leave IU South Bend, which would mean scrambling to fill their vacancies quickly, potentially leading to the hiring of lower-quality faculty.
Senator Laney stated that, while the SGA is the voice of the students, they should also stand up for faculty when their interests are overlooked by university administration.
“We have to support the people who support us as well,” he said.
The SGA meets every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon in SAC 206 or 225. Meetings are open to the public, and students are encouraged to attend.
