SGA Committees Tackle Campus Hate Crimes and Sexual Assault

KIP LYNCH ’22
STAFF WRITER

The Student Government Association (SGA) convened for the first time during the 2018-2019 school year on Sunday, Sept. 23. The SGA began organizing positions for newly elected and returning Senators and Class Presidents on committees. The Student Government Association also began brainstorming ideas for making Trinity College better as an institution.

SGA Committees are typically made up of three to four members that focus on a particular topic. With a total of nine committees, topics include Academic Affairs, Communications, Curriculum, Facilities, Food, Student Life, and Sustainability, among others. While returning members of SGA mostly remained in their positions as members of their respective committees, new members of SGA as well as members of the Class of 2022 Council volunteered to become a part of various committees.SGA President Kristina Miele thereafter posed questions to SGA members that primarily focused on how the Student Government Association could improve its standing among students. Questions included: How do we make sure every student’s voice is heard? How should SGA respond to hate crimes and sexual assault? How do we make SGA more of a presence on campus? How can we improve student life and pride? Small groups of SGA members brainstormed ideas that responded to each of these questions. After group presentations on each answer, the Student Government Association reconvened as a group to discuss more formal approaches into which changes could be made at Trinity. Discussions ranged from lessening laundry costs to proposals on how to increase school pride. Ideas ranged from “firing the cannons” that rest on the Main Quad to organizing more NEST events and school-wide competitions.

The Student Government Association also met with the Young Democratic Socialists of America in order to hear the club’s presentation on how its club will meet the needs of students and contribute to overall student life at Trinity. The SGA will vote for approval of the committee through a polling system. competitions.