SGA holds forum to hear student suggestions and concerns

By Heather Shaffer - Editor in Chief

The UIS Student Government Association held a forum to hear student concerns and answer student questions Oct. 25 in Brookens Auditorium.

The forum was held in an anonymous question-and-answer format. Upon arriving to Brookens auditorium, participants were handed a slip of paper to write down questions, concerns or suggestions. Moderator Jennifer Wilson read each question aloud and gave SGA members a chance to respond.

“We are holding this forum as a means to many ends. We know it is important for the student body to know who we are, why we are here and how you can voice your concerns to us,” Vice President Robert Skorczewski said.

“Also, as a representative body such as the SGA, we must be accountable to the students, therefore we are going to try to explain what we've done, what we've come in contact with and what we've already accomplished and hope to accomplish this year.”

Many environmental concerns were raised during the forum. One participant asked why there is no recycling program on campus and why only a voluntary program exists.

“Honestly, I don't know and I don't think anyone else does either,” said Board of Trustees Representative Carrie Bauer said. She added that if anyone is interested in this, they can e-mail her or President Samantha Drews who will work with Dana Rodriguez-Seijas, resident director of east campus housing who acts as a liaison between SGA and Housing, so that Housing and SGA can work together to find out why there is no recycling program and what can be done about it.

Later in the forum, a participant asked how feasible it would be to create a student job whose role would be to maintain the campus recycling program.

“This is something that we would have to look into. It is definitely something that we should all work on and probably should have been worked on earlier than this,” said Sgt. at Arms Brace Clement.

Ryan Morrison, senator from the college of liberal arts and sciences, said that a couple of resident assistants used to coordinate a volunteer recycling program making sure cans were collected and taken to the appropriate places in Springfield and when those resident assistants left, it was kind of hit or miss as to whether or not other people take up the responsibility.

Another forum participant asked what measures the university can implement to make UIS more eco-friendly.

Skorczewski responded that the SGA is always open to suggestions and looking into a recycling program seems like a good place to start.

Bauer mentioned fair trade coffee as a measure the SGA is currently discussing. She said this is an issue SGA has been working on for many years and is an ongoing process. The campus group Students Allied for a Greener Earth brought this idea to the SGA this year and will be bringing them more information in the near future.

A non-traditional student asked what facilities are available for commuter students new this year and if the SGA had any plans for nontraditional students this year or if SGA is going to focus on on-campus students.

Skorczewski said that the SGA does not try to cater to any one group and is always open to suggestions that non-traditional students may have.

Regarding getting more nontraditional students involved in campus and community events, Clement said he agreed that the activities for community involvement or on-campus projects to involve nontraditional students are lacking.

“This is a challenge we are all trying to take up right now [and] it is kind of hard because most of our nontraditional students are working, they have families, they have things they have to do so it is really hard to try to get something to fit their schedule,” he said. The SGA does have a seat for a graduate and transfer student to try to get their viewpoint, he added.

Bauer said there has been talk about getting the bus schedule extended an hour or two to accommodate students with night classes. This may not happen anytime soon because this will have to be worked through Springfield government, she said.

Many issues regarding diversity on campus and within the SGA were brought up at the forum. One student asked what initiatives are being put into place to enhance minority students and faculty in the upcoming 2006 school year.

Morrison said that the issue of recruiting more minority students is something that the Diversity Task Force works endlessly to help with.

“I do know that as we look to expand our general education curriculum and we have more students on campus that are of a first-year traditional nature that we have recruitment resources somewhat allocated and there are people already going to schools across the state to try to beef up our experience as a diverse school and make sure we are bring in as wide of a range of students as possible from as far across the state as we can,” he said.

He added that it is an ongoing process that many people are working on.

The issue of what SGA is doing to promote a higher representation of minority students for the upcoming election was brought up at the forum. Morrison said that it is a matter or encouraging students that represent a wide variety of interests to run and making sure people are aware of what positions are available.

“I ask that if there are any students that express those same concerns that they may be afraid to come to us because we are mostly Caucasian at this time, please tell them that we do our absolute best to represent all students on campus and we are trying to increase diversity on campus and within our body and we hope you do feel comfortable coming to us,” Skorczewski said.

Other issues brought up at the forum included: why there is no office on campus dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and questioning issues ; would SGA be willing to assist other student groups in eliminating styrofoam cups in the cafeteria; is there something else that could be done with the leftover food from the cafeteria; is there anything SGA is doing to assist the graduate students in the first stages of forming a union; what SGA can do to get more books for computer science majors in the library; what SGA is doing about student interest in bringing Greek life to campus; and if SGA would be willing to work with The Journal to start up a column for people to know who the SGA members are and their thoughts on campus issues.

“This forum is going to help us form some those new issues and goals by taking what we hear tonight and making some of our new initiatives this year,” said Skorczewski.

He encouraged students to feel free to voice concerns to the SGA throughout the year. The SGA offices are located in the Student Life area in Student Affairs Building , room 20. SGA officers and senators have specified office hours and students can bring concerns to them during those office hours. Concerns can also be e-mailed to uissga@uis.edu .

Two groups conflict over event funding

By Ashley Rook - General Assignment Reporter

Tensions arose and were resolved between members of Students Against Sexual Stereotypes and Inequality and the Inter-Club Council Board over funding for an upcoming event, their annual showing of cult classic “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

At the Oct. 2 ICCB meeting, SASSI was allocated $800 for the event, which was $100 short of the amount requested. While members of SASSI disagreed with the funding cut, ICCB President Nikki Overcash saw the allocation as a rational one. “One of our rules is that we try not to give out more than $500 per event, but we do make a few exceptions. SASSI received the third-highest allocation of any student group this semester.”

Due to university budget cuts, ICCB has a reduced budget of only $30,000 to allocate to over 70 student organizations for the 2005-2006 school year. As a result, ICCB board members have made an effort to more closely monitor the budget so that they have enough to last the entire year, and have been more carefully questioning students who request funds. Overcash and other board members reviewed the SASSI request thoroughly and eliminated funding for the expenses they thought were unnecessary.

Emily Chase, SASSI Vice-President, dismissed the idea that the budget cut was caused by personal prejudices among ICCB members. “We don't perceive that there was homophobia or negative intent behind the budget cut,” she said. “If there was anything behind the questions, its wasn't coming from ICCB, it was coming from individuals.” However, Chase would have preferred a larger allocation, since SASSI only holds two annual events, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and an Alternative Prom in the spring, and because SASSI has been increasingly active and visible on campus this year.

In addition to the disagreement over funding, conflict arose over the alleged mistreatment of SASSI freshman representative Alicia Artner by ICCB Treasurer Rica Stiner. Artner said that she felt she was questioned too intensely and rigorously about the allocation by Stiner. “I don't like to judge someone wrongly, but I know that for other organizations, like a religious organization, she wasn't so harsh and questioning. I don't know if the reason why she was so passionate about not giving us the full amount was because it was for SASSI or if she thought I was a homosexual, or even if she had a reason.”

Stiner claims that she had no personal problem with SASSI or Artner, and her intense questioning was meant to bring down the cost by cutting smaller items. She maintains that she did not mean for her actions to hurt anyone, citing her business oriented tone and manner as being the cause of the problem. “I am truly apologetic for having hurt her feelings, and there was no malice intended. I also apologize to anyone else I may have offended.”

After hearing Artner's complaints about her treatment by Stiner at the meeting, Overcash and Chase met to resolve the situation. Overcash was personally “very thrown off” to hear that Artner had felt discriminated against, and made it clear to Chase that ICCB as an entity had no prejudice towards SASSI or its members.

SGA holds forum to hear student suggestions and concerns

Two groups conflict over event funding