University of Memphis senior Sally Gates has been involved withthe Student Government Association since her freshman year.
Becoming SGA president has been Gates' goal throughout erinvolvement. Last week she realized her dream, saying theachievement means steering SGA in "new directions."
Newly-elected SGA Vice President Alicia Goldston said she alsowants to see the SGA grow during the 2004-2005 school year, addingthat she plans to debunk a growing misconception among the studentbody that SGA is largely powerless.
The SGA has four key goals for the upcoming academic year,including modifying the plus and minus grading system.
"A lot of students think the plus/minus system is unfair, butthe faculty is in favor of it," Gates said, "There is a greatdifference between a B plus and a B minus."
But this initiative is not new. SGA officers have been workingon the issue for a while.
"We are staying on it," Gates said.
When the SGA exchanged doughnuts for students' thoughts in fall2003, they found students were concerned with the quality ofacademic advising at The University, SGA officers said.
"We are looking to improve the service." Goldston said. "We havestarted a series of meetings to see how we can improve freshmenacademic advising."
One way the SGA will try to alleviate problems associated withadvising is to create guidelines for advisers, Gates said.
In addition to addressing student complaints, the SGA also plansto increase student participation in Tiger athletics.
For about four years, U of M student organizations, includingSGA, have been trying to boost student attendance at games. But,SGA officers said, initiatives have always failed. SGA members planto tackle the issue by having a go-between for the athleticdepartment and the SGA.
Other SGA initiatives include increasing involvement withstudent organizations. SGA senators will be assigned a set numberof registered student organizations so they can get more directlyinvolved, Goldston said.
"Student organizations draw people who usually don't come to the(University Center) and the Tiger Den," where the SGA houses itsoffices and holds most of its events.
Finally, the SGA voted on a resolution to build a new UniversityCenter, Goldston said. In collaboration with architects overseeingthe project, the SGA officers said they understand the changes moststudents want are only achievable with a new structure, Goldstonsaid.
When Goldston completes her duties as vice-president in a year,she said she would like to have seen SGA grow and erase itsdo-nothing stereotype.
