The Lamar University Student Government Association held a forum Monday for students to express their concerns and suggest possible solutions for problems associated with the school’s growth.
The meeting was led by Daniel Pemberton, SGA senator, who took note of issues and addressed questions students had.
“This meeting is here to allow students to have a voice in the ear of the administration,” the film studies major said.
The forum centered around issues students have with the College of Fine Arts and Communication, but ranged from parking troubles to advising on a departmental level, and the concerns of the expansion of S.T.E.M-related majors to the Rec Center dress code.
A recurring discussion topic pertained to the growing student fees, with several students asking, “Where does the extra money go?”
“The money we pay in fees goes into a collective pool of funds for student services here at LU,” SGA president Dillon Nicholson said. “There has actually been talk about a five- to 10-year plan for the growth of campus, that things will start being renovated, such as the University Theatre.”
The discussion led to the possibility idea of time changes, such as the Gray Library’s open hours, to enhance the college life on campus.
“This is a concern of students, if we have to pay a couple of hundred dollars in library fees, why not have longer hours like other universities around us, that are open 24 hours or until 2 a.m.,” Nicholson said. “It’s not a discussion of lowering the prices of fees, but stepping up the quality of student services through our fees.”
SGA holds a joint session that is open to the public, with an open forum for students and faculty, at 2:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. During the meetings, there are reports on what each branch is working on and votes on certain topics when needed.
For more information, visit the SGA portal on lamar.edu and click “Contact the LU SGA.”
Article published by University Press on Nov. 16, 2017.
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