Upcoming Elections, Events, and Programs This Fall
The Student Government Association (SGA) has been anticipating the start of the semester so the Senate can jump right into planning campus wide events, solving student concerns, and meeting new people.
“I am so thankful that the student body elected me as President, and I do not want to let anyone down,” said Nicole Levy, President of the Student Body.
SGA has numerous events coming up quickly. The annual Big Event which is a campus wide volunteerism program will be hosted on Saturday, October 22. Chairperson Becca Baier has been responsible for gathering worksites, creating t-shirt designs, and recruiting volunteers.
Roughly 400 students volunteer each year to travel to local businesses, beaches, community centers, and personal homes to assist with any jobs available. “This event is something we are extremely proud of because it is a way to give back to the community and show that we are students who care about helping others,” Levy said.
Homecoming, SGA’s most popular event is approaching soon as well. This past spring, the student body voted on a pirate theme for this year’s Homecoming.
Spirit Week, starting Monday, October 24, will encourage students to get excited for the event. Chairperson, Samantha Schaffer is responsible for planning this year’s Homecoming.
“Expect lots of Monmouth attire, cheesy pirate slogans, fake gold, and great giveaways,” said Levy.
The President added that students can also expect more collaborations this year from SGA. The Senate hopes to enhance school spirit and passion from other organizations by doing so. Recently, SGA has paired up with the Student Activities Board (SAB) and Phi Kappa Psi for an on-campus carnival that will be held this Friday.
Vice President of SGA, Oscar Sanchez said, “My big hope is that people know more about the Senate and what we do. Whether it’s through our events, emails, or showing up to our meetings, I want students to get a sense of all the different sections of Senate. We’re not just a group that sits around delegating money, like some people might think. Each week we really try to tackle the issues that are affecting this campus, and try to figure out how to make the Monmouth community even better.”
This past Sunday, SGA hosted a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony on the Residential Quad, which included over 100 guests from the community attended, including University staff, administrators, students, as well as residents from the campus area. A piece of the World Trade Center site was revealed at the ceremony, that will soon be displayed as a memorial on campus.
SGA utilizes the privilege to be in constant communication with faculty, staff, and administration who allow the Senate to address matters immediately and head on.
“I mentioned this in my campaign last spring, but I personally can promise you that as long as I am President, I will make sure that there will be explanations and resolutions for all issues,” Levy said.
Senate members wish to be seen as approachable and would love to hear the opinion of any student.
Sanchez said, “I really want people to come to us with more of their issues. I find that it’s easy to complain about something, but rarely does anyone want to try to fix the problems. We have a great group of senators that know the pulse of the campus, but we can only think of so many things to try to improve. We are here for the students. Utilize us.”
There are 30 senators presently, but nine positions are vacant for students wishing to become members of the SGA Senate. Currently, there are elections running for freshmen as well as upperclassmen.
Also, there is always room for general members. Vaughn Clay, Director of the Office of Off-Campus and Commuter Services and Advisor for SGA said, “Getting involved at Monmouth University in general is one of the best decisions a student can make. We of course want students to do their best in the classroom. However, we also want to see students develop leadership skills outside the classroom through the many extra-curricular opportunities that exist. Getting involved with SGA especially helps students become more connected to what is happening on-campus.”
SGA is the governing body of all the student clubs and organizations at the University. There are more than 75 recognized clubs and organizations, with more being recognized every year.
The Student Government Association’s main responsibility is to allocate and oversee the funding for organizations and clubs throughout campus.
Groups that wish to receive funding for a special event or program are encouraged to apply for assistance from SGA.
SGA is also actively involved with the Association of Independant Colleges and Universities in New Jersey (AICUNJ), the Monmouth University Community Relations Taskforce and regularly attends the Conference on Student Government Associations (COSGA) at Texas A&M University.
Twelve committees are within the Senate, including Academic Affairs, Campus and Safety, Finance, Residential Life and Health Services, Public Relations, Student Affairs, Big Event & SGA Auction, General Members, Human and Community Relations, Elections, Events Programming and Website.
SGA is vital to the growth of the University and its underlying mission is to promote the health and welfare of the student body.
