On Tuesday, Feb. 24, the University’s Student Government Association (SGA) gathered for its weekly meeting.
The discussion began with logistical details about the Jay-fil-A chicken sandwich giveaway planned for Wednesday, Feb. 25 from 6–7 p.m. on the second floor of the Bloomberg Student Center (BSC). An announcement was made about the upcoming Freshman Masquerade Ball set to occur on Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Glass Pavilion and Great Hall from 7–10 p.m. and the upcoming Sophomore Garden Party scheduled for March 8 at Gertrude’s in the Baltimore Museum of Art from 7–10 p.m.
The conversation moved to the Committee on Student Elections, which currently has no members. Only one eligible student filled out the application by the time of the meeting, and the application was set to close on Wednesday, Feb. 25. One senator proposed the revival of a 2019 referendum policy allowing students to answer optional survey questions formulated by the SGA while voting on SGA elections. The survey results would give the SGA more information about how they can best advocate for student interests; it was noted that the 2019 referendum reflected a widespread desire for a new student center, which has since been fulfilled with the opening of the BSC.
Senator Seán Durkis-Dervogne then gave a summary of his previously proposed Course Transparency Funding Bill, which would create a pilot program aimed at gathering data on what percentage of students in a given course received a B- or under. In response to senators’ questions, Durkis-Dervogne mentioned that preliminary surveys have shown overwhelming support for the initiative, and he is coordinating with the legal team to ensure complete privacy with regard to student data. He also noted that the code for the program would be open-source, and any potential negative mental health effects would result in a reconsideration of the program after the first semester. Following the discussion, the bill was sent to the Finance Committee.
An SGA Bylaws Omnibus Update, intended to revise the organization’s bylaws to account for more recent amendments, was sent to the Internal Affairs committee.
Senator Jason Yu followed with two proposals. The first was for a funding increase for the Student Services Committee, of which he is the chair, in order to purchase filming equipment to be used for conducting student interviews on campus and improve interactions with the general student body. His next proposal was for a tabling event during which free umbrellas would be handed out to students in response to concerns regarding weather-related support while students were encouraged to fill out a survey regarding Wi-Fi accessibility. Both bills were sent to the Finance Committee.
SGA then passed a proposal by the Academic Affairs Committee for a tabling event set to occur on March 2 during which plushies will be distributed, students will be encouraged to complete a survey regarding credit overload, and information will be available regarding the sample major pathways currently being developed by the committee.
Last on the agenda was Senator Jason Yu’s March Tabling Funding Bill for a tabling event during which the Student Services Committee would distribute Asian snacks to students. The bill for the event, aimed at celebrating Asian culture and promoting dialogue among students, was passed.
