Semester incidents challenge SGA to meet needs

With such events as the Sept. 11 attacks and the Commons apartment fire taking the forefront of the university's issues, the Student Government Association worked throughout the semester to try to ensure that it met students' needs.

"It's been a really busy semester," SGA President David Mills said.

"For a year where the campus has had to address things that we couldn't possibly have planned, we have been really successful," he said.

Forced to temporarily put some of the preexisting campus issues on the backburner, the SGA responded full-force to the nation's crisis as well as the personal devastation faced by the 48 student residents of building 891 in the Commons.

The SGA, in cooperation with Human Resources and Facilities Management, spearheaded a massive "9/11 Relief Effort." Aided by the contributions of the JMU community as well as Harrisonburg businesses and residents, the SGA collected food and clothing and over $1,000 in cash donations for the families of Americans lost in the attacks.

The Diversity Affairs Committee also sponsored a forum called "The America Speak Out: The Hate After the Tragedy" to address the concerns of international students in the wake of Sept. 11. "I think the opening up of campus dialogue was the reason why we didn't experience the violence that occurred at other universities," Mills said.

Similarly, the SGA stepped in to relieve students who lost all of their belongings in the fire in Commons building 891.

Through the "Commons for the Commons" effort, the SGA collected two rooms full of clothes, food, toiletries, bedding and school supplies for the affected students. According to Vice President of Student Affairs Ashley Morris, over $700 in cash contributions also have been made, which will be divided among the students.

"We even had to turn away donations [of large items such as mattresses]," Morris said. Leftover items not picked up by the fire victims will be distributed to less-fortunate families in affiliation with Mercy House, a group home in Harrisonburg.

The SGA also helped ensure that affected students could receive replacement textbooks and that they were treated fairly by professors in regard to making up missed assignments, according to Morris.

JAC cards off campus — According to Mills, JMU is waiting for Attorney General of Virginia Randolph Beales to approve the contract allowing students to use their FLEX accounts at various off-campus establishments. Businesses that have been very receptive to this arrangement include International House of Pancakes, Luigi's Pizza and Blue Ridge Partners (the joint owner of the restaurants Shenandoah Grill and Kooter Floyd's). Students should look for this to be available early next semester.

Purple Out — The Class Councils have worked to establish "Purple Out" as a new tradition at JMU athletic events, according to Morris. The idea originated from Texas A&M University's successful "Maroon Out" program, where one home game secretly is selected and maroon T-shirts are distributed to fans. This year, nearly 600 Purple Out T-shirts were given out the Friday before Homecoming. The SGA is hoping to extend this tradition to other JMU athletic home games, according to Morris.

Community relations — A representative from JMU is now present at all Harrisonburg City Council twice monthly meetings, according Mills. This liaison will help address some of the issues concerning JMU students living in Harrisonburg and "hopefully fix some of the rift in the community," said Mills.
The SGA hopes to give more attention next semester to university athletics, student and faculty diversity and campus safety. SGA will sponsor events such as the 2004 Ring Premiere, the Mr. Freshman Pageant and Senior Class Week.

"[The SGA] has especially worked hard on getting students to understand that it is a student organization equipped and built expressly for the representation of students and their interests at this university," Vice President of Administrative Affairs Brandon Durflinger said.

Mills said, "I think everyone recognizes that they are part of something larger than themselves."