The Northern Kentucky University SGA is continuing to make its way into the final stretch of the semester with not only a random seating arrangement in the March 19 meeting, but also with new resolutions and a new committee to make Constitutional changes.

President Dustin Robinson decided to randomize the organization’s usual alphabetical seats to “mix up the monotony” of sitting next to the same people every week. The unusually warm and sunny weather also played into changing it up, he said.

Aside from new seats for the day, SGA is also making headway in finishing up old resolutions and preparing the organization for the next president.
SGA unanimously passed a resolution asking the university to explore the option of offering students temporary parking passes. The option would be similar to the book advance program currently in place at NKU.

Students who could not afford a parking pass without the assistance of financial aid, which often is returned multiple weeks after the semester begins, would be able to obtain a temporary pass. Once the assistance is returned, students would then pay the full price for a permanent parking pass for the year or semester.

A resolution to explore better enforcement of the designated smoking areas was also introduced. Specifically, the resolution asks the university to examine the “feasibility of amending and enforcing the current smoking policy.”

The resolution does not state a smoking ban, although Dean of Students Jeffrey Waple said the university is already on the way to becoming a smoke-free campus.
Senator Aubrey Abbott said the resolution is for better enforcement, not a change in policy.

Some suggestions to increase compliance to the designated smoking areas include: additional smoking areas, reassigning smoking areas and imposing a fine for students who do not adhere to the policy.

The smoking policy resolution is slated for voting during the March 26 meeting.
In addition to new resolutions, Robinson also introduced a new ad-hoc committee to review SGA’s constitution.
The goal of the committee, Robinson said, is to create a detailed list of what needs to be changed. Some changes might include typos and definitional changes. The list should be completed by the end of the semester so SGA can vote on the amendments.