SHSU SGA sets goals on freshman recruitment, senate expansion

Freshmen recruitment and increasing senate membership were the focus as the new executive board of the Student Government Association met for the first time last Tuesday and geared up for freshmen orientation.

Student Body President Shane Rankin began the meeting by stressing the importance of recruitment during the summer. He hopes to diversify student leadership within the senate, which he said is important for representing the student body. Currently, there are no senators representing the College of Education and the College of Sciences in SGA.

“I would like a wide range of views and ideas coming into the Senate,” Rankin said. “I also want students of different cultural backgrounds. I don’t want the same ideas all the time.”

With the start of freshman orientation last week, members of the executive board discussed getting more freshmen involved in SGA by using different promotional items to get the word out about SGA. In addition, the executive board discussed revamping the Freshman Council within SGA. According to SS11-02 (Senate Act) passed in Fall 2011 semester,  the purpose of the Freshman Council is to represent the freshman class in each college and to serve as the voice of the freshman class to SGA including writing legislation and publicizing to increase freshman participation.

Rankin said although the freshmen are not allowed to vote in the Senate, it is important to hear their concerns and opinions as new students to SHSU.

“If we can hear their concerns, not only will [SGA] be able to help them, but also future students when they get here,” he said.

During the first week of orientation, Rankin said SGA Vice President Kolby Flowers and Treasurer Jimmy Williams helped to sign up about 40 future students sign up interested in SGA. Once orientations are done, Rankin said the executive board plans to send out emails to inform freshmen students of the happenings in SGA and encouraging them to participate.

Rankin said his plans for summer Senate include more recruiting and getting the name of Student Government Association out to future students.  

“I love recruiting and I hope to continue it throughout the summer,” he said. “Students don’t get a voice unless they express it to us, so I hope to get more student s involved.”

In other business, Williams proposed to sponsor a new spirit banner which is now in place at King Hall across from the Student Health Center.

Plans for the next meeting include modifying plans for orientation and working on future plans for the summer. The next meeting will be held today at 6:30 p.m. in LSC 326.