Student Government
Association
State of the College
Address
September 7, 2014
Photography from GrinnellWiki under Creative Commons License
Overview
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Who we are
A conversation about self-governance
What we are trying to accomplish
How you feel about what we are trying to accomplish
How to get involved
Questions + Conversation
Who We Are
Cabinet 2014 – 2014
Opeyemi Awe ’15 – President
Gwendolyn Ihrie ‘15 – V.P Academic Affairs
Iulia Iordache ‘15– V.P. Student Affairs
Emma Lange (Fall) & Misha Rindisbacher (Spring) ‘16 – Administrative Coordinators
Gargi Magar ‘16 – Treasurer
Ham Serunjogi ’16 – Assistant Treasurer
Ryan Hautzinger ’15 & Abby Goreham ‘15 – All Campus Events Co-Chairs
Elaine Fang ’15 – Student Services Chair
Violeta Ruiz – Espigares ’15 – Concerts Chair
Jacqueline Brooks ‘15 – Diversity and Outreach Coordinator
Mission Statement
The 2014 – 2015 SGA Cabinet will
effectively represent the interests of students
by enacting programming and policies that
support wellness, outreach, and fun in
order to establish trust and inspire a
renewed sense of self-gov and pride in our
shared experience as Grinnellians.
Motto
Engaged SelfGovernance
=
Rights + Responsibilities of SelfGov
Pausé
• What do you think about our mission statement and
vision and motto?
• What are your thoughts about self governance in
our community? Is it dead, dormant or alive?
• How do our actions contribute to maintaining selfgov?
• How do you hold yourself and other accountable to
self-gov?
• How does self-gov play out in the classroom?
Dorms? Dhall? During the weekends? Off Campus?
Goals 2014 2015
President
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Diversity and Inclusion – are we keeping the promises we make
Title IX – proactive conversations about sexual respect
Class Ambassadors – how do different groups experience Grinnell
Campus Council – how to effectively engage and utilize
TBD
Vice President of Academic Affairs
• Wellness
– Making “Hell” Week and Finals week scheduling more productive
and healthy for students, while still accomplishing professors’
goals
• Student Involvement
– ARH/Carnegie building planning
– What should a social science and humanities building look like?
– Empowering the Student Educational Policy Committees
(SEPCs)
– What is a minor versus a concentration?
Vice President of Student Affairs
• Global Grinnell Task Force
• Review Off Campus Study
• Experience of international students at Grinnell
• Internationalism in our curriculum
• Mental Health @ Grinnell
• Harm Reduction
• Active bystanderism
• Debunking hook-up myths
• Self-Gov being well
• Community and wellness
• Fun Ideas
Administrative Coordinators
• Improving SGA's presence online try and embrace crowdsourcing
(partnered with DOC)
• Work to make senators feel more engaged,​ have larger voice on
campus
• Continue to push for more effective first gen support and presence
• Continue to support need blind policies, SHACS in their transition
and continued improvements
• Pay attention to the DSA/AA transition, impact on SA's and effective
use of this new partnership
Treasurer + Assistant Treasurer
• Maintain a sustainable operating budget that promotes a diverse,
safe, and fun range of programming
• Implement SharePoint online budgeting to increase transparency
and maximize efficiency in budgetary processes
• Underspent by $47,000 last year  compensated for over
expenditure of 2012-2013
All Campus Events
• Equally distribute the ACE budget among student groups
– Focus on avoiding top heavy semester spending
– Pre-allocate funds at the beginning of the semester for all big all
campus events
• Enhance the safety of all campus parties
– Revamp the functions of ACE security
– Spread active bystander training/awareness across campus
• Ensure the music being played at Harris stays corresponding to the
Harris theme
All Campus Events Schedule
• Saturday, September 13 Heartland Harris (10pm-1am)
• Saturday, September 20 - 80s
Harris (10pm-1am) [HOST
NEEDED]
• Saturday, September 27 Beyonce Dance Party
(Gardner 10pm-1am)
• Saturday, October 4 - ISO
Rave (10pm-1am)
• Saturday, October 11 - 10/10
(Locations and time TBD)
• Saturday, November 1 Halloween Harris (10pm-1am)
[HOST NEEDED]
• Saturday, November 8 - Fall
Drag Show (Time TBD)
• Saturday, November 15 Fetish Harris (10pm-1am)
• Saturday, November 22 Soccerball Harris (10pm-1am)
• Saturday, December 6 - Winter
Waltz (Location TBD - 9pm1am)
Service
• Define what service means at Grinnell and make active efforts in
supporting student groups and encouraging community service
• Strengthen the relationship with the town by working closely with the
Office of Community Enhance and Engagement, as well as the
Chamber of Commerce
• Rewrite handbooks for future Service Coordinators
• Give Service Committee members more administrative roles to build
a horizontal committee where all voices are heard
Concerts
• Improve visibility on campus
• Increase awareness of music experience and performance as a
form of art
• Research the institutional memory of Concerts and create a
database for all the information compiled to put on our webpage
• Strengthen our relationships with alums and seek input from their
experiences as Grinnellians in relation to Concert.
Diversity and Outreach
• Bi-weekly newsletter
• First Year Council
– First Year Project
• Outreach Committee
• Social Media Presence
– #GrinnellHacks
– What is self-gov?
Pausé
• What do you think about our mission statement and
vision and motto?
• Are we tackling the issues that most directly impact
your experience?
• Are there any areas that we are overlooking or big
topics that we are missing?
Getting
Involved
Committees
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Student Programming Committee: Monday 7-8pm
All Campus Events Committee: Monday 8-9pm
Concerts Committee: Tuesday 8-9pm SGA Offices
Services Committee: Tuesday 8-9pm JRC 227
Reform Committee: Wednesday 7-8pm JRC 227
Student Curriculum Committee: Thursdays 8-9pm JRC 209
*Biweekly*
First Year Council: Thursday 7pm-8pm JRC209
Stifund Committee: Sunday 4-5pm JRC202
Outreach Committee: Sunday 6pm-7pm Office
Campus Council: Wednesday 8 – 9:30pm JRC 209
Attend Office Hours!
Thank You!
Comments, Questions, Concerns