Juniors Geoffrey Broadbent, Colleen Corrado, Dahron Wells and Lauren Anderson have high hopes to empower student leaders through St. Bonaventure University’s Student Government Association (SGA) in the 2018-19 academic year.
The results of SGA’s 2018-19 elections were announced on March 27 and the next meeting will be held this upcoming Thursday in Swan 209.
Broadbent, a biology and political science double major, was elected president of SGA after three years of service, most recently serving as executive board secretary in the 2017-18 academic year.
Broadbent said his fondest memory of SGA was having the Faculty Senate vote to keep the common period on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Before SGA stepped in to voice student concerns, it seemed that the overwhelming majority of the faculty were in support of changing the common period,” Broadbent said. “Student Government was able to get enough members of the Faculty Senate to change their minds by collecting survey data on seating in the Hickey Dining Hall during peak times and highlighting a number of clubs whose meeting times would be impacted if the common period was changed, like SGA.”
Corrado, a biology major, was elected vice president of SGA after previously serving as an associate justice on the judicial board, a junior class senator and junior class secretary.
Corrado said her best experience in SGA involved sitting on the Constitution Revision Commission throughout her freshman year.
“The CRC serves to revise the constitution every three years in order to ensure that the constitution is relevant to the current student body,” said Corrado.
Wells, a political science major, was elected executive board treasurer after serving as an associate justice on the judicial board and a junior class senator.
In his new position, Wells said he is most looking forward to being a role model for his fellow SGA members. Wells added he looks forward to fiscally supporting the Bonaventure community and charities chosen by the university and the SGA that continue to pursue the Franciscan mission.
Wells said, during his time as a member of the SGA, he has had many great experiences, but he was proudest to sit in on a Faculty Senate meeting about the common hour.
“This moment of all students coming together for a common goal is what drove me to become more and more involved in SGA and campus life in general,” Wells said.
Anderson, a biology major, was elected executive board secretary after serving as a senator at large in the 2017-18 academic year.
As secretary, Anderson said she hopes to make a shift from paper forms and other paperwork to online data because it is better for the environment and it will be more efficient.
Anderson said one of her favorite memories of SGA was voting on recommending a change in the smoking policy. She said this issue was very important to SGA this past year, and members of SGA had a lot of input.
“A possible change in the smoking policy was put forth by a fellow SGA member and all of SGA was able to help create questions and give input on a survey that went out to the entire student body,” said Anderson. “Seeing the idea come full circle from its initial idea stages to getting feedback from the survey and making a recommendation based on what the student body wanted was a great experience.”
The entire executive board said they look forward to being a voice for student concerns on campus and working closely with students and administrators to address those issues.
One goal of the 2018-19 SGA executive board is to work with administration on increasing access to 24/7 study spaces, said Broadbent.
“As the library closes at 1 a.m., and there are only two other 24-hour study spaces on campus, having a place to study after 1 a.m. is a big concern for many students and something we hope to see changed over the next year,” said Anderson.
Broadbent added that increasing access to spaces for students and updating facilities would be priorities in the coming year.
“We want to continue to look at increasing access to spaces for students,” Broadbent said. “We also really want to continue advocating for updates to campus facilities that are priorities for students like on-campus residence halls and athletic facilities.”
Wells said his overall goal for the coming year is to keep student voices loud and make SGA members proud to be a part of “such an incredible student-driven and student-dedicated organization.”
“I would love for the incoming executive board to be able to continue the legacies of recent executive boards by keeping things transparent, lively and, most importantly, keeping the best interests of the students of St. Bonaventure University a number one priority,” said Wells.
All members of the executive board echoed these comments, adding that increased outreach, meeting attendance and participation is key to the success of SGA.
“Since our meetings are open to the campus, it would be great to have students with concerns come to our meetings and let their voices be heard,” said Corrado. “This way, we can ensure that we are acting for the betterment of the entire student body, not just for the students who regularly participate in SGA.”
Each member expressed their gratitude and excitement to be involved in the SGA and to continue advocating for students’ needs.
“I’m so thankful and beyond blessed to be a part of the SGA executive board alongside some of my closest friends and some of the most talented and experienced leaders at our wonderful university,” Wells said.
