What you missed at SGA: Reaching quorum, resolutions and initiatives

The Student Government Association officially hit quorum at this week’s meeting with the appointment of two new justices to the Judiciary Council and two new members to the Student Senate. With the quorum reached, the organization can now pass resolutions that address and tackle issues on campus.

SGA swore in Lacie Ollberding and Sam Alloway, both law majors, as justices with no opposition and no abstention. According to Chief Justice Luke Price, they will be assigned to the individual committees to work with senators.

Senators Tavion Taylor, sports business and event management major, and Katie Grothaus, history and political science major, were approved as a slate with no opposition and no abstention. Their arrival brings the total number of seats in the Student Senate to 22, which along with three committee chairs adds up to 25 members. However, SGA President Daniel Myers said that just because they have reached the minimum needed for quorum does not mean recruiting is over.

The significance of hitting quorum lies in the power to enact change that the student government now has access to. Chief Justice Price delivered Vice President Isaiah Phillips’ presentation on initiatives and resolutions, the two ways for SGA to approach change. Initiatives have been properly voted upon and put into action to serve as official legislation for resolving issues, used when SGA has yet to reach quorum. Resolutions are similar, but used when SGA has reached quorum.

Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs and SGA advisor Dr. Arnie Slaughter reminded the student government that resolutions are not mandates: just because they present a certain course of action does not mean that the university will completely follow it. He also recommended that SGA check for existing resolutions that tackle certain issues before creating new ones.

SGA then broke into 20-minute committee sessions to discuss the tasks each senator would be entrusted with. Some of the resolutions they would be pursuing address scholarships for international students, implementing a day off before finals, tailgating, and dining and nutrition information.

President Myers encouraged SGA members to build a culture of excellence by showing passion and commitment for making change happen.

“When I say culture of excellence, I’m not talking about perfection. I’m talking about being the best that we can be, making the most of what we have. There’s no room for mediocrity,” he said. “This is your campus, take ownership of what it is, make it yours, take it by the reins.”

Myers will be focusing on three initiatives: raising awareness of the student account installment plan, which students must enroll on between Jan. 1 and Jan. 12 lest they be dropped from their classes; a multi-label marketing initiative to translate the NKU homepage into different languages for international students, including Chinese, Vietnamese, French, Arabic and Korean; and bringing back Norse Rates or student discounts at local restaurants.

For the announcement section, Justice Olive Pfalz brought up the BFA Senior Exhibitions that run until Dec. 9. Senator Olivia Onodu announced a housing forum hosted by SGA and the Residence Hall Association (RHA) at 5 p.m. tomorrow, Nov. 29 in Callahan Hall.