During their second meeting of the semester, the Arkansas State Student Government Association (SGA) discussed a few of the projects planned for the semester and also swore in the peer-voted freshman senators. 

SGA swore in a group of seven freshman senators before moving on to fill a sophomore and junior seat. The meeting also gave the senate members a chance to meet with the deans of their colleges.

From the staff reports, the executive board announced their presence at the ribbon cutting for the new Windgate Hall of Art and Innovation on Sep. 11. SGA President, Kate Malone, a senior strategic communications major from Germantown, Tennessee said it is important for SGA to attend these kinds of events in order to engage the student body.

“We’re the faces of the students’ voices, so we want to be at everything that we’re able to be at,” Malone said. “If we can connect with the right people, we can really make change on campus.”

Another announcement during the staff reports was regarding this semester’s financial wellness initiative campaign. Chauncy Betts, a senior strategic communications major from McGehee, Arkansas, said the team plans to create more resources for students to promote personal finance while aiding students in obtaining funds to cover tuition. 

“There’s a lot of students that don’t understand how to handle their personal finances when it comes to their bills and things of that nature,” Betts said. “My overall idea is for there to be a financial worker center on campus with more peer-to-peer or one-to-one conversations so I can come up to somebody and say for instance, ‘I’m gonna graduate. How much do I need for an apartment?’”

For the association’s future endeavors, Malone said she hears the major concerns of the student body such as parking and housing and is working with the respective departments to figure out solutions.

“We’ve definitely brainstormed in the office things we would love to do, but there is a line of what is realistic and within our jurisdiction,” Malone said. “There is a reason why things have not been done, even if it seems obvious.”

Malone said a few resolutions are in the works to fix smaller issues around campus as well, such as repairing the cell phone charging stations and adding campus flex dollars as a currency for the vending machines. 

“It’s all things that we are concerned about and wanting to fix. It’s just a matter of connecting with the right people,” Malone said.

During the meeting, interim chancellor Calvin White attended to give a few motivational remarks to the association and wish the senators well on their work this semester. 

“We want to hear your voices this year,” White said. “We want to hear your concerns this year, but we also want to hear your solutions to some of the problems you will experience on campus.”

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