SGA Discusses Upcoming Elections, Budgets, Transit

JUSTIN FORTIER ’18
EDITOR-in-CHIEF
The weekly Student Government Association (SGA) meeting was held on the Cinestudio side of the quad this week in light of the warm weather.
Barnyard reported with a clear announcement that Spring Weekend bands (tickets) are not going to be distributed after the concert starts.  They will be available for pickup and purchase (guests)  the week leading up the concert. Apparently, last year there was miscommunication with CSC and the security company that led some students with wristbands to not be admitted. This year Barnyard has made it clear that all students with wristbands will be allowed in.
The Inter Greek council Liaison, Marjorie Burke ’17, informed the group that the IGC elections will be on May 4. Also, it was noted that on Apr. 10, Kappa Kappa Gamma alumnus, former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift ’87 Is set to speak on campus in Association with the Churchill Institute. Greek week is upcoming and set for the last week of April.
On a different note, SGA President Ryan Miller ’17 is hoping to have all SGA cabinet positions decisions out the same time as the president following election packets being released on Apr. 10.
The Admissions Committee, introduced the Bantam Visit Day on Monday Apr. 10. This event, a chance for perspective students to visit campus, featured a robust student involvement fair as well as several other events.
The Multicultural Affairs Council (MAC) chair, Daniel Garcia ’17 annoucned the International Hip-Hop Festival held this weekend was a huge success.
SGA had a club presentation has a new club presentation from “Sophisticated Worthy and Gifted Gentleman,” (SWAG). This club will have a focus on black males graduating high school and hopefully go on to college. Mazin Khalil ’15 hopes to change the culture here at Trinity and reach out to Hartford.  He envisioned the clubs as Trinity students reaching out, providing mentoring community service to a local Hartford high school, potentially, Al Prince Technical High School. The motto for the group is brotherhood, mentorship and community service.  SGA will vote this week to approve the club.
Budget Committee Chair, Sebastian Broustra ’17, announced it will be holding its last session, and after that no additional money will be appropriated.
The SGA then returned to a discussion on transit, a complex discussion evaluating the optimal method to get students to downtown Hartford and shopping destinations. Currently, Trinity pays a flat  $55,000 fee for the direct off-campus Shuttle.  Trinity doesn’t pay a flat fee for the UPASS. Instead it pays $0.95.
The Housing selection process will occur within the next week. SGA has two upcoming meetings scheduled with Director of Residential Life, Susan Salisbury. Revisions and suggestions are being implemented on the online system; the group will collect larger feedback to streamline the system going forward.  SGA officers are open to input from the campus community.
The meeting cycled back to upcoming elections, where class presidents and executive board positions, will be appointed in the spring.  It was noted that class office positions are open to all students, no matter the amount of experience. SGA President requires a previous year of SGA service. Applications are due April 20.  For those with unique academic situations, candidates can pair up with other candidates to balance abroad statuses while running on a combined ticket. This  year there will be a debate and case study for  the potential SGA presidential candidates.