Student Government Association Blog

Your Student Body. Your Student Voice. SGA.

Bears are back… back again!

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Hello!

I can’t believe we are getting ready to be back on campus and start the school year. I hope everyone had a great summer. I know I definitely did! This summer, I enjoyed being a SOAR leader and welcoming incoming students and their families, and all I can say is that Missouri State’s future is bright!

This summer has been very busy so let me bring you up to speed on everything new! First of all, our State Government gifted Missouri State a $10 million increase in our core operating funding and $2.85 million in a one-time fund to expand the nursing program. With the increased funding, we were able to save students money and only increase tuition minimally, and were able to give faculty and staff a raise that they deserve. For our student workers, you also got a raise! With this appropriation, Missouri State was able to increase the minimum wage to $8.60.

As you walk around campus, you will also see some changes. Woods House was renovated this summer and looks incredible! In the Plaster Student Union (PSU), you will see a brand new Starbucks layout and design. Grill Nation and Papa Johns are out but that means new options! The PSU will now have Freddy’s and a Pasta and Salad option named Madison Ave Pasta Company! So don’t forget to add those Boomer Meals and meal plans. You can defer it to your account for the first three weeks of school!

Lastly, get ready for more bears on campus! More bear statues are expected to be around campus and in the community! The College of Business recently installed a bear outside of Glass Hall, thanks to the Class of 2018 for the generous donation. Student Government Association (SGA) partnered up with the PSU to do a paint-a-bear statue contest and we received great submissions, so stay tuned to see what the bear will look like on the south lawn near McDonald Arena.

I hope you enjoyed these updates! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach me at Abdillahi1997@live.missouristate.edu!

Bear With Me

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*This article was written by Tara Orr. Tara is a freshman, Marketing major from Blue Springs, MO!*

Hey Bears! SGA’s Administrative Service Committee has some exciting news about a new program coming to Missouri State in Spring 2018 called Bear With Me. Bear With Me is a program designed to give students the chance to work off a parking ticket with community service hours! Cool right? The program is simple. Those who receive a parking ticket (lower than $50) have the opportunity to complete 2 hours of community service within 15 days of receiving the ticket in order to waive the fine. This unique program allows you to save your money and give back to the Springfield community at the same time!

The terms of this program are:

  • The ticket must be issued by Missouri State University Safety and Transportation
  • The ticket cannot be valued more than $50.00
  • No citation issued due to illegal parking in a handicap space can be replaced with service hours
  • Only one ticket per student in an academic year can be converted by this program
  • The program ends after $3,000 worth of parking citations have been worked off

A student on the Administrative Service team shared her thoughts with us on the new program, “I think Bear With Me is an amazing way for students to get engaged in the community! Hopefully after doing the two hours of service required, they will enjoy it so much they will want to go back and help out the community even more. It makes getting a parking ticket not so bad.”

If you have any questions regarding this new program, visit our website or search “Bear With Me” on Campus Link!

SGA Title IX Commission Presents: Take Back the Night

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Did you know that male college students, ages 18-24, are 5x more likely to be affected by sexual violence than non-students in that same age range? Or that 9 in 10 college women who are victims of rape or sexual assault know their offender? Sexual violence is an ongoing issue on college campuses around the world, and it is time we take action. We ask you to join us to take back the night.

What is Take Back the Night Foundation? 

Take Back the Night (TBTN) is a foundation created in 1960 that is takes a stand against sexual violence by hosting events and peaceful rallies around the world. Take Back the Night Foundation’s mission is “…to end sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual violence. We serve to create safe communities and respectful relationships through awareness events and initiatives.”

TBTN has hosted events in over 36 countries and 800 communities. Over 30 million people have been exposed to their message and commitment to end sexual violence. You can find more information on TBTN here. 

Missouri State’s Part 

From 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 28, 2017, the Title IX Commission of the Student Government Association will be hosting a TBTN rally to involve students in the discussion. The goal is to address how we can be proactive in preventing sexual violence. This event is the kickoff for Stop the Silence, which will happen in Spring 2018.

Jenay Lamy, Missouri State Green Dot Program Coordinator, will be speaking on what Green Dot is and how students can become more involved. Another guest speaker, Emma Wessel, It’s On Us Coordinator and Missouri State GA, will be sharing what we can do to prevent sexual violence. 

More Information and Ways to Get Involved 

This event is open to all Missouri State students and students in the Springfield area. Missouri State Green Dot and It’s On Us are supporting this event and will have information tables at the rally for attendees to learn more about the organizations. 

Next Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. the Take Back the Night Foundation President will be speaking in the PSU Theater. This is a great event to learn more about TBTN and sexual violence prevention. Also, there are still some spots open for the FREE Green Dot Bystander Training on Oct. 10, 2017 at 4:00 p.m., you can register here.

 

Sources:

https://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/182369.pdf

 

10 Things to Do at Missouri State in the Next 10 Days

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August is an incredibly exciting time for Missouri State’s campus. From freshmen moving in, to seniors reminiscing, campus is bustling with life once more. There are so many things to do on campus the first week and a half (give or take) of everyone moving back. Whether it’s to welcome everyone to their new home, or the home they’ve loved for years!

1. Fan Fest and Bear Bash
According to Missouri State’s website, more than 5,000 students attend Bear Bash every year, making it one of the largest student events of the year. Students that attend the events can have the opportunity to enjoy free food, games, karaoke, bowling and many more fun activities right beside their residence halls.

2. Belong-B-Q
Behind Freudenberger (Freddy) residence hall, there’s an annual barbecue that takes place that allows students to learn about multicultural experiences, play fun games, and possibly win prizes.

3. New Student Convocation
New Student Convocation at JQH Arena allows new students to be officially welcomed to campus, and have a significant kick-off to their first academic year as Missouri State Bears. Students get to be gathered with their peers, meet the Pride Band and others, and listen to a featured speaker.

4. New Student Festival
Following New Student Convocation, the Festival kicks off. The Plaster Student Union (PSU) is bustling with student organizations, eager to welcome new students into their respective homes. Students can visit booths of over 150 organizations and departments throughout the PSU and the entirety of its outside surroundings where they can learn more about these organizations and programs.

5. Concert-On-The-Green
Every year, the Missouri State Pride Band performs their annual Concert-On-The-Green. This year, they will be unveiling their 2017 edition of themselves in the football stadium for all to hear. The music ranges from jazz to Latin to pop, so every Bear can enjoy a variety of music.

6. Solar Eclipse Viewing
The well-anticipated solar eclipse coincides with Missouri State’s first day of classes. Classes aren’t cancelled, unless the professor states otherwise for each student’s specific class. However, Springfield, Missouri will be having 96% coverage at its peak during the eclipse, and there will be a viewing party held in Plaster Stadium. Attendees receive glasses to help view the eclipse safely during this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

7. Sample Springfield
Sample Springfield is a tradition that has been going on for 33 years. During this event, local businesses come to campus and share information about themselves, offer samples, free gifts, and more. There will be over 60 tables that give away free information, gifts, coupons, and swag to students to help them become familiarized with the area.

8. Glow Climb
The Foster Recreation Center (FRC) is hosting Glow Climb, which allows students to dance and climb rock walls under black lights with glow-in-the-dark paint. Attendees receive a white shirt to paint themselves, along with glow-in-the-dark bracelets.

9. RecFest
The FRC welcomes back students with carnival food, games, and prizes to win. You can win free massages, gift cards to the Bookstore, and many more. Some of the games and activities that will be offered to students include a Black Ops obstacle course and a giant sticky wall!

10. Tour Meyer Library
From August 18th to September 8th, students can take a tour of Meyer Library. It is a great resource to have, as you very well may be spending much of your academic years inside those walls. It’s best to know where things are, what the rules are, and how to find the books and book types you’re looking for!

Students, enjoy these next few days learning about campus and meeting the newest Bears! We can’t wait to see you at our first meeting on August 29th at 5:30 p.m. in the Traywick Parliamentary Room, PSU 313

 

Emily Wilson, Communications Commissioner 

Message from Student Government Association

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Students,

As the Student Government Association (SGA) of Missouri State University, we are responsible and accountable for representing all students. We recognize that students at the University of Missouri have experienced tremendous hurt and injustice, and that students on our campus share similar experiences.

Earlier today, our University released a statement regarding its commitment to making everyone feel welcome on our campus. As student representatives, we must be better about being made up of all voices. We must make more concerted efforts to encourage student initiatives from everyone, rather than doing what we think or assume students want.

We have the means and resources to make real, meaningful change in our campus community, but we cannot do it if we all look the same or come from the same background. It takes all voices to shift our campus culture, so the change starts now. Every student reading this letter has valuable ideas, and SGA must be more committed to encouraging the development of those ideas.

Our Senate meets every Tuesday night at 5:30pm in the Plaster Student Union Parliamentary Room (313). Anyone is welcome to attend those meetings at any time, and any student is welcome to apply to become a Senator. Senate applications can be found on our website www.sga.missouristate.edu, or they can be found in the SGA Office (PSU 123). Senators have the opportunity to join various committees within SGA and initiate ideas of all kinds.

The process for running to become Student Body President will begin early in the Spring semester. If you are interested in this position, please consider joining SGA soon to get a feel for the organization and to get more details on the election process.

You do not have to be in SGA for your voice to be heard. Our office is open from 8am-5pmnd we welcome friends from all backgrounds to share their thoughts, experiences, and ideas. In the coming days, we will be out and about around campus discussing with students what the best Missouri State looks like.

Listed below are the Executives, Directors, and Commissioners who wished to be included in this letter. Also included are ways that you can contact them with questions, ideas, or initiatives.

We want everyone to have a meaningful place in making Missouri State University an institution they are proud to call home.

Sincerely,

SGA Cabinet
Ashley Crisafulli – President – Crisafulli7694@live

Alissa Biermaier – Vice-President – Biermaier000@live

Caleb Doyle – Student Governor – Doyle796@live

Justin Roberts – Chief of Staff – Justin093@live

Connor Aller – Research and Development – Glen555@live

Ben Borgstede – Chief Information Officer – Ben093@live

Adam Coffman – Speaker Pro Tempore/Internal Affairs – Adam1860@live

Marli Coonrod – Student Affairs – Coonrod123@live

Brianna Duda – Academic Affairs – Duda695@live

Nick Duncan – Wyrick Fund Commissioner – Duncan405@live

Shelby Greninger – Chief Communications Officer – Shelby22@live

Evan Grosch – Elections Commissioner – Evan512@live

Timmy Hogenkamp – Sustainability Commissioner – Hogenkamp15@live

Brandon McCoy – Administrative Services – McCoy116@live

Jeremy Morgan – Chief Financial Officer – Morgan14@live

Courtney Nichols – Sergeant-at-Arms – Courtney721@live

Dominic Pecoraro – Information Services – Dominic7@live

DL Peppers – Ad Hoc: Veteran Services – Pepper00@live

Daezia Smith – Public Affairs – Daezia822@live

Wyatt Taylor – Sustainability – Robert417@live

Weston Thomas – Secretary – Thomas101@live

Jordan Upchurch – Diversity & Inclusion – Upchurch17@live

Max Wagner – University Advancement – Wagner16@live

Brad White – Senior Class President – Bradley12@live

Zak Wilkerson – Student Affairs – Wilkerson55@live