Student Government Association Provides Policy Update

GILLIAN REINHARD ’20
STAFF WRITER
The Trinity College Student Government Association (SGA) has been working to implement student-driven policy change all semester. This semester, the organization has embarked on a new era of collaboration to create new strategies to improve the Trinity community. The SGA, spanning students of all backgrounds, skills and grades, works tirelessly together to plan and initiate countless events that take place during the year.
The beginning of the semester saw the elections of many new members to the SGA, including new officers for each grade level (including Independent Degree Program (IDP) students) and new members of the executive board. This shift in leadership has provided the opportunity to hear even more voices and opportunities for success on campus.
Importantly, the first-year class inaugurated its first board of leaders, who promise to work productively with Trinity’s newest class. “Working with the 2020 class officers has been great!” commented Hadley Queiroz ’20, newly elected first-year class president. “We each bring unique points of view to the table and it’s made for a great team so far.”
In addition to officer elections, various members of SGA have taken on new roles and activities. Nick Kono ’17 and Greg Norwegian ’19 currently sit on the school’s Planning & Budget Committee, where they work alongside the faculty’s Financial Affairs Committee members and the Senior Vice Presidents from the President’s Cabinet to address financial planning for the College. Caroline Feeney ’17, Alec Buffamonte ’17 and Torrey Hill ’19 are serving on the school’s Academic Affairs Committee, which is tasked with reviewing, administering and improving the academic policies and procedures of Trinity College as they apply to undergraduate students.
Other involved students include Lexi Zanger ’19 and Ryan Miller ’17 who have been added to serve on the Crescent Street project, and have since lobbied for a student corridor with both lounge seating and productive workspace, along with accessible printing and healthy upscale vending options. The Crescent Street building, with a targeted completion date of Summer 2017, will be home to Neuroscience Department offices and laboratories, as well as digital art and media performance spaces.
SGA Vice President Dana Wensberg ’18 is creating a wellness initiative alongside SGA senators and Health Education coordinator, Geralyn Gehard. This initiative aims to improve conversations on well-being in college, especially around this year’s final exams and for students returning back to Trinity from abroad.The team has worked to improve conditions in the school gym and provide opportunities for wellness across campus.
SGA is also actively involved with both the Campaign for Community and the Bicentennial Strategic Planning Comission. The Campaign for Community, now in its second year, focuses on helping Trinity through five student working groups: diversity education resources, the pulse (the initiation of dialogue with members of the community), school pride, addressing sexual misconduct, and wellness. The Bicentennial Strategic Planning Commission, recognizing Trinity’s approach towards its bicentennial year of 2023, is similarly aimed towards planning for the future and bettering the community.
This year, SGA is teaming up with Student Activities, Involvement and Leadership (SAIL) to encourage all groups on campus to use CollegiateLink, a website which monitors finances, elections and rosters. Because of its usefulness and accessibility to all on campus, CollegiateLink is able to help create connections between SGA and clubs. Over the semester, many groups have made the switch over to CollegiateLink. SGA has also redesigned the housing lottery system which will take place this academic year. An informational session will be hosted later in the year to review the online lottery system. Overall, the dent Government Association continues to provide aid and leadership to the community, with plenty of worthwhile events and plans on the horizon.
Student Government Association continues to provide aid and leadership to the community through their suggestions, and they have plenty of worthwhile and exciting plans on the horizon.