What you missed at SGA: New senators, voting and professional conduct

The Student Government Association welcomed an additional slate of senators at this week’s meeting, in addition to discussing how to conduct among faculty and staff, voting and advisors.

The three candidates answered questions about their reasons for joining SGA and the ideas they were bringing to the organization. After a round of discussion, in which members of the interviewing committee praised the candidates for their experience and commitment to inclusion, they were accepted as a slate with no opposition and no abstention.

This week’s admission brought the number of senators to 19. SGA still needs to fill six remaining seats in order to hit quorum and start enacting legislation. Chief Justice Luke Price hoped that the organization could find interested freshmen who would be able to stick around for next year.

In the open session that followed, President Daniel Myers introduced the topic of how to conduct oneself among faculty and staff on campus. He asked Justice Pfalz, who is confident in their email-writing ability, to demonstrate how to write a formal email.

A few SGA members stated that they feel anxious talking to people who have power over them, such as professors. Myers encouraged everyone in the room not to feel intimidated and to reach out to faculty and staff.

“Faculty, staff, administration, everyone who works here is people. Don’t feel intimidated, but at the same time be respectful and professional,” Myers said, adding that senators can schedule group meetings with various people on campus so as to build rapport with the administration.

The e-board then moved to auxiliary committees: university committees where SGA members are asked to serve on. Senator Princess Nworah and Senator Asha Chekanao volunteered to join the Food Advisory Committee, which meets Oct. 19 with Chartwells employees to discuss on-campus food services and why certain food suggestions cannot be followed up on.

Chief of Staff Isaiah Phillips highlighted FUEL NKU on SGA social media accounts last week for the “Nuggets of Knowledge” initiative. SGA members nominated TRIO Student Support Services, which assists first-generation students, for this week’s highlight.

Afterwards, SGA welcomed guest speaker Rachel Roberts, House representative for Kentucky 67th District serving Campbell County. Rep. Roberts criticized the structure of the Kentucky General Assembly, which prevents ordinary people from joining and the assembly from being reflective of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in terms of occupation and expertise. She encouraged students to participate in local politics and vote early in the upcoming midterm elections.

“We need the likes of you, no matter your political standing,” she said. “You already know how to work in committees with people with different ideas and different backgrounds.”

Rep. Roberts is anticipating the subject of women’s reproductive rights in an upcoming session. Since a trigger law in the state constitution has outlawed abortion in Kentucky with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, some doctors are leaving the state because they cannot balance their Hippocratic oath against the law and young families are fleeing, Roberts said. She is also looking forward to discussing charter schools and enacting regulation and a taxation system on medical marijuana.

Oct. 11 is the last day to register to vote for Kentucky. Roberts said that voting in Kentucky is easier than ever but also more difficult to explain, and that it is imperative that young people vote.

For Boots to the Ground, last week senators asked students how they felt about their advising experience. The senators reported that the people they had reached out to wished that their advisors would be more dedicated and up to the standards of their office.

For this week, SGA would ask the following question: “Do you prefer to stay on-campus or off-campus and why?”

In terms of announcements, Myers brought up the NKY Forum: Meet the Judicial Candidates event taking place Nov. 18. Chairwoman of University Improvements Committee Lucy Burns mentioned that the Office of Sustainability is being considered for an actual office space on campus. Senator Silverent Balcaitis reminded members about an event on the Student Union plaza for National Coming Out Day tomorrow.