Execs fulfill platform points

Six of eight objectives complete since March elections

A new HOV parking lot and 500 more Purple Out T-shirts are a few of the six platform points completed by the Student Government Association. A total of eight central objectives were named by candidates March.

"If SGA doesn’t address problems, it’s failing students," student body president Tom Culligan said during a campaign speech in March.

Culligan’s campaign focused on campus safety and parking issues.

Earlier this week, Culligan joined other members of SGA and the administration to officially open an HOV parking lot —completing a major platform plank. Culligan also secured a more direct appeals process for parking tickets and a warning ticket system for those without a parking detail. No official plans have been released to improve public security.

"I’ve also tried to make community relations a priority for SGA this year," Culligan said. "I ran an editorial in [a local newspaper] … to remind the community all that JMU students contribute to the city and county," he said. Culligan also is focusing on voter registration. "We’ve had a very successful September with [Class Council] elections, voter registration, Sept. 11 events and promoting the new parking options for students," Culligan said.

Senior JohnAlex Golden, vice president of academic affairs, campaigned on creating a commuter parking pass for nighttime usage only, which was implemented at the beginning of this year. Golden has yet to see the fruition of his campaign plan to stagger classes on West and East campuses. "I really don’t think the administration is too keen on the idea … the plan is a few years down the road, at least," he said. Golden said that the usual 15 minutes between classes does not allow enough time for students to commute between East and West campuses.

In March, Golden said he would "keep minority and diversity issues at the forefront [of university business]." In August, a sexual non-discrimination clause was added back into university policy.

"Take Your Professor to Lunch" is a new program Golden is focusing on for the coming months in which students will arrange extracurricular activities with their teachers. Golden also plans to initiate reforms with NTC Communications in response to widespread student complaints, he said.

Addressing problems with the distribution of Purple Out T-shirts during Homecoming week celebrations was the main plank of senior Alka Francesci’s campaign as the office of vice president of student affairs.

"This year, we will have at least 1,500 Purple Out T-shirts," she said. "We will continue to distribute them at the pep rally, but we’ll have more manpower and security for distribution." According to Francesci, 1,000 T-shirts were distributed last year.

Francesci said she has been working with the Homecoming committee on a ticket system for the popular shirts.

Junior Gina Maurone promised budget reform and an increase in awareness with how groups can secure funding from the SGA.

Maurone said that she will work with Culligan and senior Hunter Hanger, student representative to the Board of Visitors, to compose a plan for budget reform to better address group needs. Maurone also will meet with the Center for Multicultural and International Student Services to explain how non-front-end budgeted groups can receive money from the SGA contingency fund.