What you missed at SGA: Last presidential visit and first resolution

At their last meeting of the semester, the Student Government Association saw a short visit from President Ashish Vaidya before his departure on Dec. 19 and a reading of the 2022-2023 administration’s first resolution.

“What we’ve done in terms of focusing on you and your success has been critical over these last four and a half years. Student success is my goal number one and will always remain that. Certainly my expectation is that it will continue to be the enduring legacy of this university,” Vaidya said, thanking the students and wishing them good luck as they head into finals.

Following the president, Associate Director of Student Account Services Jessica Brooks answered questions about the student account installment plan, which currently divides the total amount a student needs to pay into four monthly payments. If students miss a payment, they will incur a 1.5% account maintenance fee. The fee is a one-time addition to the remaining balance, not stacked day upon day, and is charged to the student account after a grace period of two days.

The plan was introduced this semester and will henceforth be offered in the years to come, including the upcoming spring semester. According to Brooks, the plan was agreed upon by parents, students and the university administration, allowing for lower payment amounts for each installment and extended paying time.

SGA President Daniel Myers provided some information regarding merit-based international student scholarships at the meeting, which he gained from a conversation with Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Eddie Howard.

Myers said that merit-based scholarships for international students have been rolled back as technically it would be illegal for NKU, a state-funded public institution, to be providing more financial aid opportunities for out-of-state students than Kentucky residents.

“It’s not NKU saying that, ‘We don’t care about international students.’ I don’t want us to have that mindset. But it is that we have to abide by certain rules,” Myers said, adding that other forms of financial assistance for international students, such as the EDGE Award, will continue to be offered.

Student Union director and SGA advisor Sarah Aikman reminded everyone present that the SU will be closed from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2 for maintenance, during which time food services will not be available.

The final staff changes of the semester came as the Student Senate swore in two new members—Christian Brown, marketing major, and Shelby Baker, psychology major with a minor in criminal justice—with no opposition and no abstention. Some of the changes that Brown wishes to implement on campus include a clothing iron in university housing’s laundry rooms and a kiosk for NKU merchandise outside of the bookstore.

SGA also approved Senator Amanda Dodge, majoring in human resources management and management, as Chief of Staff. Other senators highlighted her management and communication skills as fitting for the position.

Toward the end of the meeting, Chair of the University Improvements Committee Lucy Burns presented the first reading of the 2022-2023 administration’s first resolution, attested by Senator Silverent Balcaitis, regarding the installment of lights along Norse Boulevard. The resolution states that the road currently has no lighting, which can pose a risk to pedestrians and motorists at night.

Because Norse Boulevard is owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky and NKU does not have the authority to install lighting without permission from the state, the resolution recommends that the university petition the state government to have lights installed. It does not call for any specification concerning which types of light will be installed, funding source or installing timeline.

SGA senators provided feedback and suggestions on the resolution in its current form, which Burns stressed are not guaranteed to be accepted. The student government will vote on the resolution when they reconvene on Jan. 9.