Where has the semester gone? It feels like just yesterday we were starting the academic year with the club fair bustling, and syllabus week had just kicking off. With only a few more weeks to go, I wanted to give the campus an update on the things SGA has been working on throughout this semester, and into the next. First off, SGA has been engaging in discussion with President Woodward on a number of topics from tutoring, parking, student involvement, and everything in between.

SGA has also been looking at The UHart Start which is a strategic action plan that has been circulating different departments and groups on campus. This action plan lays out the University’s strategic goals for the coming years. SGA is making recommendations, comments and sharing our view to the President, all from the student perspective.

SGA has funded the extended library hours during finals week, which will start on December 11, 2019 and go until December 20, 2019. During this period the library will remain open 24/7. This is a necessity for all of you who study or cram for exams and need a quiet place. SGA recently allocated for more textbooks to rent from the circulation desk for library use, which will increase the number of available titles.

We have also been pushing our agenda on Environmental and Sustainability on campus. SGA continued our Environmental and Sustainability Committee, part of our full Senate, which is responsible for leading the charge to making our campus more environmentally friendly. Efforts of this committee include composting (done as of October 31), increasing recycling, promoting sustainability, and educating students. We have been urged by President Woodward to keep pushing this agenda, and we will continue to do so. Once we have a large enough base fired up about this issue, we can show administration and the University that students are serious about environmental and sustainability efforts, and more can be done!

SGA will be hosting a Spring Club and Organization Fair, on February 5, 2019 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the intramural gym in the Sports Center. That same night, there is a Women’s Basketball Game starting at 7 p.m.. We encourage all students to attend the club fair and make their way into the basketball game to cheer on our Hawks!

Finally, Senior Week Updates! Myself, along with five fellow seniors make up the Senior Week Planning Committee which plans Senior Week! Many seniors were upset to learn Senior Week had to be shortened because of graduation moving two days earlier, but I assure, your senior week will actually be LONGER! We will be starting Senior Week earlier than ever to make sure we get the most out of it!

I am excited to see where this next semester takes us! As always, if you would like to get in contact with me, please contact me at [email protected] or 860-768-4162. Go Hawks!