Student Government Association

State of the College Address

September 7, 2014

Photography from GrinnellWiki under Creative Commons License

Overview

• Who we are• A conversation about self-governance • What we are trying to accomplish • How you feel about what we are trying to accomplish• How to get involved • Questions + Conversation

Who We Are

Cabinet 2014 – 2014

Opeyemi Awe ’15 – President Gwendolyn Ihrie ‘15 – V.P Academic AffairsIulia Iordache ‘15– V.P. Student AffairsEmma Lange (Fall) & Misha Rindisbacher (Spring) ‘16 – Administrative Coordinators Gargi Magar ‘16 – Treasurer Ham Serunjogi ’16 – Assistant Treasurer Ryan Hautzinger ’15 & Abby Goreham ‘15 – All Campus Events Co-Chairs Elaine Fang ’15 – Student Services Chair Violeta Ruiz – Espigares ’15 – Concerts ChairJacqueline Brooks ‘15 – Diversity and Outreach Coordinator

Mission Statement

The 2014 – 2015 SGA Cabinet will effectively represent the interests of students by enacting programming and policies that support wellness, outreach, and fun in order to establish trust and inspire a renewed sense of self-gov and pride in our shared experience as Grinnellians.

Motto

Engaged Self- Governance

= Rights + Responsibilities of

Self-Gov

Pausé• What do you think about our mission

statement and vision and motto?• What are your thoughts about self

governance in our community? Is it dead, dormant or alive?

• How do our actions contribute to maintaining self-gov?

• How do you hold yourself and other accountable to self-gov?

• How does self-gov play out in the classroom? Dorms? Dhall? During the weekends? Off Campus?

Goals 2014 -2015

President• Diversity and Inclusion – are we keeping the promises we

make• Title IX – proactive conversations about sexual respect • Class Ambassadors – how do different groups experience

Grinnell• Campus Council – how to effectively engage and utilize• TBD

Vice President of Academic Affairs

• Wellness – Making “Hell” Week and Finals week scheduling more

productive and healthy for students, while still accomplishing professors’ goals

• Student Involvement – ARH/Carnegie building planning– What should a social science and humanities building

look like?– Empowering the Student Educational Policy Committees

(SEPCs)– What is a minor versus a concentration?

Vice President of Student Affairs

• Global Grinnell Task Force • Review Off Campus Study• Experience of international students at Grinnell• Internationalism in our curriculum

• Mental Health @ Grinnell• Harm Reduction

• Active bystanderism• Debunking hook-up myths

• Self-Gov being well• Community and wellness• Fun Ideas

Administrative Coordinators• Improving SGA's presence online try and embrace

crowdsourcing (partnered with DOC)• Work to make senators feel more engaged, have larger

voice on campus• Continue to push for more effective first gen support and

presence• Continue to support need blind policies, SHACS in their

transition and continued improvements• Pay attention to the DSA/AA transition, impact on SA's and

effective use of this new partnership

Treasurer + Assistant Treasurer

• Maintain a sustainable operating budget that promotes a diverse, safe, and fun range of programming

• Implement SharePoint online budgeting to increase transparency and maximize efficiency in budgetary processes

• Underspent by $47,000 last year compensated for over expenditure of 2012-2013

All Campus Events• Equally distribute the ACE budget among student groups

– Focus on avoiding top heavy semester spending– Pre-allocate funds at the beginning of the semester for

all big all campus events• Enhance the safety of all campus parties

– Revamp the functions of ACE security– Spread active bystander training/awareness across

campus• Ensure the music being played at Harris stays

corresponding to the Harris theme

All Campus Events Schedule

• Saturday, September 13 - Heartland Harris (10pm-1am)

• Saturday, September 20 - 80s Harris (10pm-1am) [HOST NEEDED]

• Saturday, September 27 - Beyonce Dance Party (Gardner 10pm-1am)

• Saturday, October 4 - ISO Rave (10pm-1am)

• Saturday, October 11 - 10/10 (Locations and time TBD)

• Saturday, November 1 - Halloween Harris (10pm-1am) [HOST NEEDED]

• Saturday, November 8 - Fall Drag Show (Time TBD)

• Saturday, November 15 - Fetish Harris (10pm-1am)

• Saturday, November 22 - Soccerball Harris (10pm-1am)

• Saturday, December 6 - Winter Waltz (Location TBD - 9pm-1am)

Service• Define what service means at Grinnell and make active

efforts in supporting student groups and encouraging community service

• Strengthen the relationship with the town by working closely with the Office of Community Enhance and Engagement, as well as the Chamber of Commerce

• Rewrite handbooks for future Service Coordinators• Give Service Committee members more administrative

roles to build a horizontal committee where all voices are heard

Concerts• Improve visibility on campus • Increase awareness of music experience and performance

as a form of art• Research the institutional memory of Concerts and create a

database for all the information compiled to put on our webpage

• Strengthen our relationships with alums and seek input from their experiences as Grinnellians in relation to Concert.

Diversity and Outreach

• Bi-weekly newsletter• First Year Council

– First Year Project• Outreach Committee• Social Media Presence

– #GrinnellHacks– What is self-gov?

Pausé• What do you think about our mission

statement and vision and motto?• Are we tackling the issues that most directly

impact your experience?• Are there any areas that we are overlooking

or big topics that we are missing?

Getting Involved

Committees

• Student Programming Committee: Monday 7-8pm• All Campus Events Committee: Monday 8-9pm• Concerts Committee: Tuesday 8-9pm SGA Offices• Services Committee: Tuesday 8-9pm JRC 227• Reform Committee: Wednesday 7-8pm JRC 227• Student Curriculum Committee: Thursdays 8-9pm JRC 209

*Biweekly*• First Year Council: Thursday 7pm-8pm JRC209• Stifund Committee: Sunday 4-5pm JRC202• Outreach Committee: Sunday 6pm-7pm Office • Campus Council: Wednesday 8 – 9:30pm JRC 209• Attend Office Hours!

Thank You!

Comments, Questions, Concerns