Shedding some light on student government
To say the least, the Student Government Association is an important organization in campus life. It is the connection between the Viterbo University administration and the student body—a vital link that can have a major impact on student affairs. A core function of the association is addressing policy: using student input to build the framework by which the university is run. These concerns often take the spotlight in the association’s public relations, a recent example is the policies surrounding laundry in student housing.
What students and staff might not be aware of, however, is that there is more to the organization than just voicing student concerns and making policy changes. There are other ways that student government and involvement in it can enhance the Viterbo experience that extends far beyond the meeting room.
SGA Public Relations Coordinator Mitchell Shaw recently shed some light on how much the organization really does for the community—both on and off-campus. According to Shaw, SGA is currently in the process of rebranding, which involves designing a new logo, providing logowear for its members, and enhancing its presence on social media. These initiatives are the product of a campaign to give the university community an awareness of just what SGA does.
The organization has close ties with the office of the university president, as its Executive Board is connected by the common thread of Vice President of Student Affairs, Rick Trietley. Shaw says this gives members of SGA an “inside scoop on everything that’s happening.” This team of students and administration oversees the committees that are a part of student government. These groups of students are vital to the organization’s community outreach, which includes River Watch, which became an SGA-sponsored program this academic year. Other committees include the Promise Committee, which addresses drug and alcohol abuse on campus, and the Commuter Committee, which handles the affairs and concerns of commuting students.
The duties undertaken by SGA do not stop there. Additional responsibilities include campus beautification and subsidizing flu shots for students. These are not part of the organization’s “job description,” but initiatives that are undertaken by students who want to make their campus a better place for their peers to live and learn. As Shaw put it, SGA is “comprised of students for the betterness of students.”
SGA is not just built on student input--it cannot get enough of it. The organization currently has just enough members to fill executive board, class representative positions, and five of the ten committees, but the other committees need student representation to operate.
Shaw stressed, “Representation is so important for the SGA. It’s key to understanding how the Viterbo experience is for everybody of all walks of life that come on to this campus—everybody with all kinds of backgrounds, and it’s important to have diversity on a board and to make sure that everyone is represented.”
In the end, he remarked about the atmosphere of meetings: “We are very welcoming…we have a good laugh, but we get stuff done.”
The Student Government Association needs more members not only for its own benefit, but also for the betterment of every other student activity on campus. SGA is deeply invested in the wellbeing of everyone in the Viterbo community—and there is no better time to get involved than now. If students would like to learn more, they can contact President Tommy Krob or any other member of student government.