By Emmariah Holcomb
SGA Representative
The Student Government Association (SGA) held a meeting Tuesday night in the Doyle Trustees room. Topics discussed included the Bona Responds Haiti Initiative, club presentations, Clare 401 classes and semester evaluations.
Bona Responds is continuing its Haiti initiative with a food-packing day; the items collected and packed will be sent to Haiti. The club aims to continue and further expand its project in the spring by raising $44,000 and packing 200,000 meals.
The following university clubs presented their current projects and future goals.
Psi Chi, the national honor society of psychology, and the Psychology Club (Psych Associates) presented their plan to renovate the student psychology study lounge. They participated in the Andrew Revello Dodgeball Tournament and donated to his scholarship fund. They also hope to dispel myths concerning mental illness following SBU’s Theater’s performance of “The Walls.” The clubs have also volunteered at Joyful Rescues animal shelter.
The College Democrats said they plan on holding political issue discussions in the future. On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the club will host Democratic House candidate Martha Robertson at 4 p.m. in the Merton Center.
The College Republicans said they promoted voter registration and plan to connect with the school of business to host a speaker in the future.
The Philosophy Club hosts meetings geared around selected philosophical topics. In addition to its discussions the group has volunteered at the Warming House, the SPCA, Bona Responds projects and has assisted Prison Ministry.
The History Club has volunteered at the SPCA as they plan on using this year to rebuild the club. They lost SGA funding due to being inactivity last year. The club looks forward to building better relationships between the faculty and students. Last Saturday, Nov. 9 the members visited the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site in Buffalo.
The Mock Trial club continues to work on their current case, State of Midlands v. Whit Bowman. The club has been selling discount cards in the Reilly Center to raise funds for the club’s activities.
An open discussion period shed light on Clare 401, University Forum. During this time students raised their concerns about the course.
“I have heard different things and it isn’t consistent,” senior Tyler Pauly said when asked if he believes the professors are following the course syllabus that is presented to the professor by the University.
Concluding the meeting, students discussed semester evaluations and many felt overall participation has increased due to changes that were made. The main change included reducing the number of questions asked.
Sam DiBenedetto, a junior biology major, raised the question of another week being added to complete the evaluations; though this question has been previously raised it will be a topic discussed at the next Faculty Senate meeting, according to SGA vice president Abby Harrington, a senior education major.
