Student Government Association Blog

Your Student Body. Your Student Voice. SGA.

Wheelchair ramp to be added to Bear Paw

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The Student Government Association has approved a resolution that will provide for a wheelchair ramp to be added to the “Bear Paw” of Missouri State’s “North Mall” in front of the Plaster Student Union.

The addition of the wheelchair ramp exemplifies both SGA’s and Missouri State’s commitment to an inclusive and accommodating environment. This project also places the Bear Paw in adherence with disability guidelines.

The Student Government Association is grateful to the Office of Student Affairs, as Dr. Earle Doman, dean of student affairs, has offered to fund this project in support of a movement towards a continuously diverse campus community.

For more information, please contact Riana Sears, Chief Communications Officer at Riana21@live.missouristate.edu.

SGA Commends Presidential Search Committee

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The Student Government Association recently drafted and sent a resolution to the Presidential Search Committee commending their selection of Clifton Smart III as the 11th president of the university on Oct. 16, 2012.

Smart had been interim president since June 27, 2011. During his term as interim president, Missouri State set an enrollment record on the Springfield campus for fall 2012, broke the record for private gifts in a single year and hired the first permanent vice president for diversity.

The Student Government Association has noted and greatly appreciated the countless hours the search committee devoted to interviewing and discussing applicants for the position, selecting two well-qualified finalists and then selecting Clif Smart as the next university president.

The Student Government Association is excited to continue working and collaborating with President Smart. To express this sentiment, a copy of the resolution was sent to Joe Turner, Chair of the Presidential Search Committee; Gordon Elliott, Chair of the Board of Governors; and Clif Smart, President of Missouri State University.

For more information, please contact Riana Sears, Chief Communications Officer at Riana21@live.missouristate.edu.

More than 1,000 Donor-Funded Scholarships Now Available to Students

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As college expenses continue to rise, Missouri State University donors are generously providing a combined total of more than 1.3 million dollars in scholarships to students for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Students can simultaneously apply for all of the scholarships offered in just a few easy steps by using the Missouri State University Foundation’s online Scholarship Manager. This tool allows students to view all available awards and apply for more than 1,000 scholarships with a single application.

Approximately one in four Missouri State students will receive a scholarship, ranging from a few hundred dollars to $15,000, so all encouraged to apply. The application for 2013-2014 scholarships is now available 2012 and will close on March 1, 2013.

To access the application, students should log in to My.MissouriState.edu, select the Profile Tab and find the Financial Aid Channel Box. Then, choose the General and Departmental Scholarship Application. This will automatically connect students with the Scholarship Manager. There are three different applications–Incoming Freshman, Current Undergraduate and Graduate Student–and students should select their student type as of the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year.

Scholarship recipients are selected by campus-wide committees for the following academic year between March and May, with a few being selected during the summer months.

 For more information, please contact Riana Sears, Chief Communications Officer at Riana21@live.missouristate.edu.

SGA Co-Sponsors First Annual Senior Celebration Week

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Missouri State University’s Student Government Association has teamed up with Student Activities Council to present the first annual Senior Celebration Week.

The celebration, held during the last week of classes, will consist of special events for students who have filed their intent to graduate in addition to discounts across campus.

In order to participate in events and gain access to discounts, graduating seniors must pick up their Senior Celebration Week Pass Card during the week of April 23-27. Tables will be set up from 10 am to 2 pm Monday through Thursday, with locations inside the PSU on Monday and Tuesday and between the PSU and Siceluff Hall on Wednesday and Thursday.

Events for the week include a last lecture series on Monday, May 7th at 7 pm in Carrington Auditorium, free late-night dining in Blair-Shannon Dining Hall from 9 to 11 pm on Tuesday, May 8th, and a Senior Picnic on the North Mall from 11 am to 2 pm on Thursday, May 10th.

More information about Senior Celebration Week can be found online at: http://www.facebook.com/SeniorCelebrationWeek2012

For more information, please contact Paige Oxendine, Chief Communications Officer, at Oxendine100@live.missouristate.edu.

SGA Supports Sustainability Proposal for Solar Panels

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Members of Student Government Association’s Senate moved recently to approve a resolution that supports the purchase and placement of solar panels on the rooftop of Meyer Library.

The project was taken to the Sustainability Commission as a proposal, but required SGA’s support since the $120,000 project would need to use more than 25 percent of the funds currently available to the Commission.

The solar panels placed atop Meyer Library will offset the nearly 32,000 kilowatts per year required to operate the lights within the JQH Fountain outside the library.

The addition of solar panels to MSU’s campus not only helps offset long-term energy costs, but also reaffirms the university’s commitment to ethical leadership and community engagement by promoting a cleaner and healthier environment on campus.

For more information, please contact Paige Oxendine, Chief Communications Officer, at Oxendine100@live.missouristate.edu.