The Student Government Association (SGA) held its first weekly meeting of the 2025–26 academic year on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
The meeting opened with conventional meeting procedures, including the call to order. President of the Senate Sriguori Oruganty then transitioned to the first reading of the night, which was introduced by RSO Senator Juan Hidrowoh. SGA is considering a bill to support Phi Delta Theta’s annual Crab Fest, an all-you-can-eat event that raises money for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) research. Phi Delta Theta requested $3,250 from SGA to cover a portion of the costs. The bill was referred to the Finance Committee.
Oruganty then introduced non-legislative business, beginning with an introduction to SGA. Chair of Programming Tyler Turner gave the next presentation regarding programming plans for this year. This year’s programming theme is I.M.P.A.C.T., which stands for “Invest Time, Mentorship, Pressure, Actionable Steps, Culture and Turbulence.” Events include freshman elections and a “Battle of the Classes,” which was briefly described as a friendly, organized clash between different years.
The next non-legislative item focused on the 2025 Leadership Gathering. Topics included overloading credits for students in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS), tuition increases, mental health services, and improving student engagement and school spirit. Finally, KSAS Senator Tanisha Taneja and Whiting School of Engineering Senator Amy Xu introduced a new SGA mentorship program for new committee members.
The meeting concluded with cohort time, a space for committee members and student attendees to practice their communication skills in a debate-like setting. Before adjournment, President Vishnu Dontu made three announcements to committee members: Be respectful to presenters, dress appropriately at future meetings and prioritize the mentorship program.
