While we are all focusing on the festivities of Firefest and the Battle of the Piney Woods, your student government is hard at work on November’s policy initiative. This November, your Student Government Association will be working on the theme “A Better Campus For You.” Since September’s initiative, we have been gathering students through our various outreach programs. Some of the items we will be addressing this month are parking, beautification and safety. Very few students would rank parking as a “non-issue.” Your student government will be opening wider dialogues between students, faculty and members in the Huntsville community on solutions to this growing problem. These discussions will be geared to finding real, effective and appropriate solutions for both the short and long-term. While efforts will be made to alleviate problems you face today, we need to ensure our efforts lead to sustainable solutions as our population surpasses 20,000 students. One of our short-term solutions is increasing safety and awareness for biking. On Nov. 5 and 6, we will be hosting Bike Day. Please bring your bikes to our table at the Lowman Student Center and College of Humanities and Social Sciences Building to win free bike related items, such as bike speakers, tire pumps and water bottles. The university’s Parking and Transportation Department has also offered to waive enforcement of registration for these days and will even register your bikes on site. Finally, our third annual safety walk will take place Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. These efforts for the past two years have led to $30,000 in infrastructure improvements for our university. This walk is done to raise awareness of various safety concerns, to both students and faculty, and lead to real improvements for our campus.
The efforts of your student government would be far less effective without your support. October’s political awareness efforts were very successful in the voter registration of hundreds of students, education on local issues, and voting efforts like the March to the Polls. We will continue to seek out your problems. Our work by tabling in the LSC Mall every Wednesday has led to a number of student concerns. If you have any suggestion for improving life on campus, please come talk with us at these tables or in LSC 326. I hope your mid-terms are not too demanding and we all wish you a safe and enjoyable Thanksgiving. Eat ‘Em Up Kats and down with the ‘Jacks.
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Spencer Copeland
Student Government Association President
Sam Houston State University