See what we’ve accomplished so far this academic year!
Fall 2019:
EXECUTIVE
The executive branch has rewritten the Constitution of the Student Government Association. Firstly, it legitimizes the four person executive team and any other positions that were held by multiple people this year. Second, it establishes new positions that have been added in order to help our government function, such as the position of the “SGA Treasurer.” Third, it reorganized the legislative branch so that student senators now sit on university governance boards. This new Constitution was voted into effect by the senate on September 16th. Going forward, they are continuing to revise our bylaws to match the new Constitution. They hope that in the future we can involve the student body in the conversation particularly when it pertains to how elections are run and how power is distributed within the executive branch.
CLASS COUNCIL
Class Council has had a busy first half of the semester. The First-Year council members joined the team, and we all have worked together to bring the Colgate community the Homecoming Tail'Gate and Fall Fest. The Tail'Gate had tents for each council with different delicious foods and Colgate giveaways. The event brought in hundreds of alumni and current students and was a great success!
Class Council Broad Street Association, Gamma Phi Beta, Phi Delta Theta and Sidekicks for the annual Fall Fest. We had Ray Brothers BBQ, Clinton Cider Mill donuts, warm beverages, caramel apples, inflatables, pumpkin painting and a photo-booth. Tach Band and The Colgate 13 serenaded hundreds on Whitnall Field.
POSITIVE SEXUALITY LIAISONS
The Positive Sexuality Liaisons for SGA have been working hard to assist Haven, LGBTQ+ Initiatives, and Shaw Wellness in any capacity they might need. For Haven, they assisted in funding bringing Sonya Renee Taylor to campus. For Shaw Wellness, every member of SGA will participate in a Bystander 2.0 training that they are hoping to launch in the Spring.
BROAD STREET LIAISONS
The Broad Street Liaisons have been working on two major events during this Fall semester. First, they have helped organize a 3k with The Network for Domestic Violence Awareness Month that involves a Broad Street competition to encourage attendance within the community. Second, they have been in conversation with the Mabel Dart Colegrove Commons to organize a Sip and Paint, where students are able to unwind, paint, and relax to help with community building across Broad Street and within the Commons.
Spring 2019:
Debriefing Bill: To more effectively serve the student body and increase efficiency, the SGA Parliamentarian proposed a bill to require debriefing meetings for SGA events to discuss what went well and how to improve! Contact Lucy Briody to learn more.
Dr. Seuss Day: Every year, the town of Hamilton has a day dedicated to Dr. Seuss. This year’s theme was, “Oh, the places you’ll go!” As part of the day, SGA led an arts and craft project at the Colgate Bookstore, in which children constructed homemade hot air balloons made from construction paper and Polaroid photos of themselves!
Faculty in Frank: The Cabinet worked with the Dean’s Office to fund meals with faculty in Frank. These lunches bring together students across all four class years to discuss an accessible theme (such as immigration or transparency) with faculty members who have expertise in that area. Reach out to Wil Stowers or Doug Whelan for more information.
Gate Card Access: Every student has a Gate Card, but few students actually know which local businesses accept it as a form of payment. To address this, SGA expanded the venues that accept Gate Card, making purchasing more convenient. Contact Jinui Thomas or Ryan Zoellner for any inquiries, and look out for the posters around campus!
Hydration Stations: For a long time, SGA has been focused on sustainability, and this semester, we worked with Buildings and Grounds to install four more sustainable hydration stations on campus, in the COOP, in Bryan, in Olin, and in 113 Broad. Stop by and enjoy fresh water while reusing bottles and reducing waste!
Letter Writing for Staff: Colgate’s staff members are an integral to the function of the university and to our lives as students. We wanted to ensure that ALL Colgate staff knew how important their roles are and how much we in SGA appreciate their efforts, so we wrote a letter of appreciation to every Colgate staff member. Check out photos from our letter writing event here!
Livestream Transparency: Each Senate meeting is livestreamed for anyone to view on our website. However, after the stream would finish, these videos would disappear and no longer be accessible. Because we believe in transparency and accountability, SGA has made all of the livestreams public on our YouTube channel. Check them out to see how Senate works!
Menstrual Cups: In the interest of sustainability, SGA participated in a pilot program to distribute 100 menstrual cups to female-identifying students. Senate approved over $1,000 to offset the cost, and SGA offered them to students for $5 each. For more information, connect with Kate Bussey or Christina Weiler.
Printer in 113 Broad: The Cabinet collaborated with ITS to implement an additional printer for residents in 113 Broad, affording them a greater degree of convenience and accessibility. To learn more, contact Luke Myers, Prince Agbo, Micah Dirkers, or Cecilia Kane.
Safety Training: In order to best promote the safety and well-being of students, SGA worked to offer more free and publicly accessible safety training courses on campus. These courses include Signs & Symptoms of Cardiac Arrest, Basic CPR, How to Use an AED, as well as some Basic First Aid. Not only are these useful skills for life in general, but they are also a way to ensure that our campus is as safe and as trusting an environment as possible. Contact Dan Gough or Abby Waxler to participate.
SGA Alumni Connection: Our alumni network is one of the best in the country, and many of our alumni served in SGA during their time at Colgate. SGA met with the Alumni Connection Committee to increase collaboration and to learn how their time in SGA gave them an edge up in the workplace and in life. Moving forward, SGA has committed to send our newsletter to alumni, with the hope that more connections will follow in the future. To learn more, contact Micah Dirkers.
Spring Break Ride-Share Spreadsheet: Similar to last semester, SGA created a ride-share spreadsheet for students traveling to and from Colgate over spring break. Check out this form, made by Jenny Lundt and Usman Ahmad.
Sustainable Printing: How many times have you released a printing job, but you didn’t know when or where it was actually going to be printed? With all the students releasing jobs, it’s unclear when a single job will be printed, leaving students to idle and eventually leave before collecting it, yielding hundreds of sheets of wasted paper. To reduce waste, SGA has met regularly with ITS to make the printing experience more sustainable and transparent. Reach out to Micah Dirkers or Cecilia Kane to know more.
Transparency Survey: Since the students elect most of the leaders in SGA, it is important to ensure that we are actually representing and listening to our constituents, and not just thinking we are. To check in with the student body about how SGA is doing, Micah Dirkers crafted a transparency survey. For the results summary and raw data, check out this page.
Winter Clothing Drive: After returning from Winter Break, SGA arranged a winter drive to provide the Office of International Students and Worn Again Thrift Store lightly used or new winter items. We delivered over six boxes full of donations, and we are very grateful for everyone who donated and made this event a success.