New SGA senators join, new issues tackled together

On Sunday, SGA members—along with a few students, faculty and staff—filed into U.C. 107 for the first meeting of the semester.

Once the meeting started, the SGA wasted no time: Their first order of business was approving three new senators. A block vote was approved and shortly after, the SGA welcomed new Senior Class Senator Dominique Wilburn (’10), Suites Senator Jon Squicciarini (’11), as well as Eberhardt and the Townhouses Senator Jackie Williams (’10).

Before each new senator was appointed, SGA President Lenora Willis (’11) indicated who each person was replacing and how each senator was chosen as a candidate.

Willis also talked about her involvement as the SGA president in the selection process for the senators.

They were also given some time to talk about themselves and their qualifications. Wilburn is replacing Sarah Davie (’11), who resigned last semester. Wilburn was ECAB chair last year and proxied for many SGA meetings.

Williams is replacing Christopher Sentmier (’12) who is studying abroad this semester. Williams was formerly the SGA treasurer, and she is also the Resident Assistant for Eberhardt and the Townhouses.

Squicciarini is replacing Laquan Austion (’10), who moved to Hoyt Hall. According to Willis, Squicciarini received his position after he approached Director of Committees Nelson Melendez (’12) and Eric McAfee (’11), former Suites senator, who recommended Squicciarini for the position.

Dean Samuel Haynes announced that Drew Smashed ’09 raised a grand total of $2,889 for the victims of the car vandalisms. According to Haynes, the amount of money raised showed that the Drew community really came together to help out their fellow students.

However, Smashed ’09 was just the jumping point for a long-term initiative that Hoyt Senator Sharif Elzein (’10) discussed during the meeting.

Once this Community Standards Initiative was brought to the table by Elzein, SGA members, students and faculty members attending the meeting all became involved in the discussion.

"What we discussed over winter break is finding a way that we can create an educational experience ourselves to enrich ourselves, and give ourselves skills to succeed," Elzein said. Elzein talked about having educational seminars available to members of clubs and organizations on campus.

Wilburn suggested having a seminar that teaches skills on fundraising, as well as seminars addressing topics such as leadership, organization and web design.

Attorney General Kyle Smith (’11) talked about how these seminars are not just about gaining skills, but also about the clubs and organizations working together. The seminars would help to facilitate collaboration between the different clubs and organizations on campus as well as allow them to support each other in their separate endeavors.

During the discussion, Haynes talked about his role in this initiative. He explained how events on campus are a good way to bring the community together and allow students to enjoy themselves and support each other. "Considering the low numbers, I met with Dean Samuel last week to try to reconfigure what I want to do this spring," Haynes said, addressing the poor attendance at events last semester.

During this discussion, the issue came up of how to promote these events and get the word out. Putting a TV up in The Commons where clubs and organizations could promote their events seemed to be a popular idea among the majority of the SGA.

President of the Technology Committee Franklin Barbosa (’12) volunteered to take on the task of getting a TV into The Commons. However, he made it very clear that he was open to any help that anyone wanted to provide.

The discussion of the Community Standard Intiative lead to the intiative being made official, with the hope that events would soon get the promotion they need for better attendance.

The topic of discussion moved right onto Haiti and ideas for events to raise money. Willis suggested forming a small committee for Haitian relief. This committee would be focused on planning events solely for the benefit of Haiti and possibly getting involved with events already in the works.

Fatou Diallo (’13) made an announcement as the meeting started to wind down. Diallo is the president of her newly formed club, called Drew Project Yaakaar. She came to the meeting to ask for the SGA as a whole to co-sponsor her club. She also asked that SGA members themselves come out to actively support her club by attending her first event.

The club’s event is a dinner with drummers and a small presentation from the members of the club about what Drew Project Yaakaar is all about. Drew Project Yakaar is a service learning club that will be traveling to Senegal in December 2010/January 2011 to help out at an activity center for sick children. Many SGA members agreed not only to attend the event, but also to inform their constituents about the event.

The Public Relations/Technology Department made an announcement about Drewids receiving new ID cards this semester. The new ID cards will function like regular ID cards for the remainder of the Spring semester. In the fall, these ID cards will become the new fob.

A new club, new senators, new ID cards and a new initiative all geared towards the improvement of life at Drew: This semester is getting off to a fresh new start and the SGA is confident it will be a good one.