Student Government Association Blog

Your Student Body. Your Student Voice. SGA.

Sustainability Commission Passes Four Proposals

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On Friday, April 29th, the Sustainability Commission of the Student Government Association, chaired by Commissioner Madison Wilson, passed four Sustainability Proposals.  The first will implement water conservation kits into all university residence halls.  The second will provide the Office of Student Engagement with a binding machine to be available to all students and organizations to check out for use, free of charge.  The third will install new water fountains that promote an environmentally sustainable, efficient, and sanitary way to fill one’s water bottle in major academic and athletic buildings, and the fourth will ensure continuing success of the small scale educational organic garden on the Missouri State University Springfield campus.

 

The purpose of the Sustainability Fund is to provide the means to implement student-initiated projects on the Missouri State University-Springfield campus that focus on sustainability initiatives that lessen the negative environmental impact of the University.  The Fund is supported by the Student Sustainability Fee.

 

A more in-depth description of these proposals is attached.

 

For more information, please contact Kinsley Stocum, Director of Communications, at kinsley17@missouristate.edu.

 

Support Expressed for Expansion of Textbook Rental Program

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Following the implementation of a pilot textbook rental program that utilized the Missouri State Bookstore employees as a test body for the 2010-2011 school year, the Student Government Association of Missouri State University has expressed continuing support for the expansion of the textbook rental program to include more students than just the Bookstore employees.

 

SGA has recognized that the presence of a properly expanded textbook rental program will attract more students to make purchases at the Missouri State Bookstore (which in turn helps the Bookstore generate revenue to invest in students and the University) as well as the fact that a well-organized textbook rental program can benefit both students and the Bookstore financially.

 

For more information, please contact Kinsley Stocum, Director of Communications, at kinsley17@missouristate.edu.

 

Expansion of Readership Program Recommended

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Student Government Association has recommended that the USA Today Collegiate Readership Program coordinate with the Student Government Association to adjust the number of newspapers at each location on campus and to implement additional newspaper bins in Siceluff Hall, Brick City, and the Jim D. Morris Center.  SGA has also asked that university administration cover any additional costs stemming from the addition of newspapers and bin locations to account for newspapers taken by faculty and staff members.

 

SGA’s Student Affairs Committee, headed by Director Abigail Jasinski, tracked newspapers at different on-campus locations for seven consecutive weekdays and found an excess of USA Today newspapers as well as a need for additional copies of The Springfield News-Leader and The New York Times.

 

Missouri State University currently has a contract with the USA Today Collegiate Readership Program to have the USA Today, The New York Times, and the Springfield News-Leader newspapers delivered to select on-campus locations.  The program is funded through a $3 per semester student fee and an annual $10,000 contribution from the Office of the Provost.  A provision within the contract allows Missouri State University to help determine the appropriate number of copies to be distributed.

 

For more information, please contact Kinsley Stocum, Director of Communications, at kinsley17@missouristate.edu.

 

Course Transformation Supported

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On Tuesday, April 26th, the Student Government Association Senate passed a resolution in support of course transformation, with the inclusion of a few specific provisions relating to the future of course transformation.

 

Specifically, SGA recommended that any future course transformation initiatives include a strong emphasis on student engagement; that the most cost effective options are chosen in order to keep student benefits proportional to student costs; that the online course schedule search explicitly denotes the teaching method that will be utilized within the course; that Missouri State continues to offer a variety of class types for students who may not learn well in a specific environment; and that course transformation be evaluated regularly to determine the effects of course transformation on the University as a whole, especially in regards to student success.

 

For more information, please contact Kinsley Stocum, Director of Communications, at kinsley17@missouristate.edu.

 

Continuation of Student Security Fee Recommended

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Student Government Association has recommended a continuation of the Student Security Fee at a level not to exceed $5 per student, per semester, for the next 5 years.

 

As per two previous Student Government resolutions (GB Spring 2001-17 and GB Spring 2006-09) SGA is required to review the Student Security Fee every five years to inquire as to whether or not the fee is necessary at the end of each period.  The Administrative and Information Services committee re-evaluated the Student Security Fee this spring semester and found that the fee is still necessary to continue improving safety on campus.

 

Funded improvements in previous years have included updating and expanding lighting across campus, installing security cameras, and installing emergency phones.

 

For more information, please contact Kinsley Stocum, Director of Communications, at kinsley17@missouristate.edu.