Week eight’s SGA meeting held two contingency requests votes since the new Contingency Request forms were ratified a few weeks earlier. The first request came from a Pepsico representative, Don Umland, asking for money to help maintain the floors of Pepsico.
Umland spoke first about Pepsico’s need of floor replacements but mentioned that full replacements would not happen for at least three years — probably more. His pitch was that $5,000 donated from SGA combined with various other donations and funds would be able to resurface the floor enough to last until the floors can be replaced entirely. At a vote of 29-0-0, the floor resurfacing project and $5,000 donated was approved. The project was given a goal of completion during fall break and will be ready for use by the time Winter Term begins.
The second contingency request was from Sloughfest. Their representatives came to ask SGA to build a partnership with Sloughfest in the form of a $5,000 donation so as to purchase up-and-coming performer Brice Fox for a Sloughfest performance. Sloughfest informed SGA that the SGA logo would appear on all Sloughfest advertising and that this would not be simply a donation, but a partnership. At a vote of 23-1-5, the donation and partnership were approved.
During these last weeks, the ALC committee met with Dean Campbell to discuss campaigns on campus and adjustments to be made. Dean Campbell was cited asking for more students to think about joining Sustained Dialogue next term as well as participate in Before it Happens and the Take Care Campaign.
The PR Committee has finalized a time for the SGA Senate Meet n’ Greet for next week as well as deciding on the #ImproveAugie hashtag context to occur the Friday of Week 9. SGA has also started a Senator of the Week program to help get Senators more involved on campus, so students are encouraged to look out for and use the resources SGA senators provide.
Campus improvements have settled on an idea for Christmas in the Quad while brainstorming what to hold there. Thoughts included carol singers and invitations for all the local children as well as an SGA President and Vice-President dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause.
Campus outreach has been working on publicity for the bike-a-thon coming up, and Community outreach spent the week speaking with Doug Tschopp from the Edge Center to try and plan a local business of the month to help connect outside businesses with Augustana students.
SGA President Charles Bentley announced the plans for the Diversity Taskforce, along with plans to table any other projects during Winter Term. SGA will focus this taskforce on minority inclusion to help hear all sides of the campus issues. More information regarding the Diversity Taskforce may be found in the Observer’s SGA Washington DC article.