By RAEGAN NEUFELD
Tiger Media Network
At Thursday’s Student Government Association meeting, executive staff members provided updates on a number of issues discussed in previous weeks.
Concerns with academic advising and food insecurity were addressed, as well as the initiative to promote party registration with the Hays Police Department.
After last week’s discussion about academic advising, Vice President Emma Day emailed University Provost Jill Arensdorf about the concerns. Arensdorf was already scheduled as the guest speaker for the Nov. 30 SGA meeting, and as a result of her conversation with Day, will be talking about the academic advising process.
“From our email discussion, it just seemed like there’s some miscommunication to students on the academic advising process, so we’re excited for her to be able to explain all of that,” Day said. “And then you guys can tell your constituents.”
According to Day, Arensdorf suggested that students reach out to the dean of their college or someone in their program if they’re having issues with their advisor. Students are also able to provide feedback through the advising survey, which will be available on Nov. 27.
President Ella Burrows provided the update regarding food insecurity on campus, and what is being done to combat it.
Last year, the university received an $80,000 federal grant that was used in part to supply food and hygiene products for the Tiger Pantry. Without that money this year, the pantry – located in the Memorial Union- is not as well-stocked.
Last Friday, Burrows and Day met with the Food and Hunger Initiatives Committee, which operates the pantry.
“We encouraged them to apply for educational opportunity funding to fund their student worker positions,” Burrows said. “(That way), their fee money can go solely towards purchasing food and hygiene products.”
Public Relations Director Aspen Patrick also mentioned the Allied Health and Health and Human Performance departments are currently doing a food drive to help stock the pantry. Donations can be brought to each department’s offices in Cunningham Hall.
The link for party registration is now live on the Hays Police Department website. Burrows and Day have been working closely with the department this year to better promote party registration. If a student registers their party 48 hours prior to having it and then receives a noise complaint, the police will give them a warning before taking any further action.
At a past meeting, Burrows said party registration is a way to encourage safe fun, keep students out of trouble and build a better relationship between students, the community and local law enforcement.
“We’re publicizing (the link) pretty heavily,” Burrows said. “It’s on the student announcements, the poster route and on monitors in the residential halls and the Union. I’ve also created some postcard-looking flyers that we’re going to take to all of the liquor stores to have on the counters.”
The next SGA meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Black and Gold Room.