SGA pleased with past year

The Student Government Association won the Dolley Award in the category of a front-end budgeted club due to its dedication to the student body and its hard work this past year.

This year, SGA helped put together many programs to unify students such as The Big Event, JMUbilee, Mr. Freshman and Mr. and Ms. Greek JMU.

The organization also has put together programs that will help students for years to come, including the Blue Light Initiative to increase safety on campus, an HOV parking lot and parking appeals reform. SGA worked to have the library open for 24 hours a day during exam week and had Coca-Cola and water handed out to students during study breaks.

SGA got students involved with state governments by sending members to Richmond to speak with delegates and by having a voter registration drive to register students to vote.

"This year I think we have had an extremely productive year on many different levels," said senior Alka Franceschi, SGA vice president of student affairs.

She said there isn’t just one program that SGA has excelled at above others. "We are constantly working for the student body, and we serve different needs at different times," Franceschi said.

Senior John Alex Golden, SGA vice president of administrative affairs, said finance reform, which includes FEB reform, was one of the biggest successes of the year because they found a way to utilize the money left over from FEB clubs, instead of just letting it sit in bank accounts.

Golden said SGA should continue building relations with delegates in Richmond. He said SGA sent 20 members for a visit in Richmond that allowed students to voice their opinions about JMU. He said SGA should continue lobbying in Richmond for money and to stay involved with Virginia21. It also is important to keep students involved with politics and to make sure they are informed of the candidates, he said.

Golden also mentioned how SGA stood up for the weapons policy. He said it doesn’t necessarily matter which side a student is on; it is important to take a stand in allowing a university to set its own policies.

"In the end, JMU knows what is best for JMU," Golden said.

Golden said despite the number of successful programs SGA has done this school year, there "is still a lot of little stuff going on behind-the-scenes."

Franceschi said SGA should continue all its work next year and try to bring in even more ideas to campus.

"I think SGA as an organization should never become complacent in our success," Franceschi said, "but always strive to better serve the student body."