By Julia Mericle
Staff Writer
Members of SGA began revising their constitution at the Student Government Association (SGA) meeting on Tuesday evening. The most recent update to the SGA constitution was last spring.
Senator-at-large and executive board president candidate Alexander Noguerola announced what the proposed changes to the constitution are and then asked SGA members to vote on them.
Noguerola explained the changes would be broken down into categories. Regarding community service, the proposed changes include increasing the number of required hours of community service for chartered clubs from 20 hours to 25 hours and striking the clause that requires the number of hours to be cumulative. For example, four hours of service completed by five club members only counted for four in the past, but it will now count for 20 total hours.
Other suggested modifications include rearranging the duties of the executive board and its members.
One amendment would allow the executive board committee the responsibility to appoint cabinet members, members to university committees and members to board of trustee committees, as well as to create and appoint executive offices and committees.
Another amendment would allow the executive president, or their designee from the executive board, to represent SGA interests as the voting member of the Faculty Senate.
The executive vice president may gain the role of maintaining reports and status of students on committees appointed by the executive board committee. The executive secretary may gain the role of creating and maintaining SGA Senate meeting minutes and to maintain club documents.
Another category of the proposed constitution revisions regards the creation of a membership committee that would maintain the relationship between SGA and SGA-chartered clubs.
The constitutional changes would require clubs to send an electronic copy of their club constitution each new academic year with the selection of new club officers and update constitutions every two years.
The meeting also gave several organizations an opportunity to keep the student body updated on their activities and events.
The Psi Chi and Psychology clubs are collaborating to plan a seminar titled, “Getting Into Grad School” hosted by Dr. Gregory Privitera, associate professor of psychology at St. Bonaventure University.
The group has also received approval to renovate the psychology student lounge, which will now display student work.
The History Club is planning a trip to a World War II museum in Eldred, Pa. at the end of March. They will also host a picnic for members of the history department in April.
The Philosophy Club is holding a shoe drive on Tuesday, April 29. Tables will be set up for students to donate shoes for those in need.
New faces were present at the club presentations, such as Bonacoustics, an on-campus a capella group. Stephanie Kennedy, a freshman strategic communications and digital media major, and Conor Hynes, a freshman vocal major, restarted the club and hope to compete with other collegiate a cappella groups.
“We have the talent and determination to be something great. I’m happy we brought it back into the Bona’s community,” Kennedy said.
mericlje13@bonaventure.edu
