Students can bring concerns to SGA senators and SGA executives

Student Government Association holds forums on Southeast Missouri State University's campus a few times each year as a way to receive feedback from students about on-campus issues.

Jami Conley, SGA's Student Issues Committee chair, is in charge of the forums.

"The name of the committee is Student Issues. In order for us to take care of the issues, we need to know what they are," Conley said.

"I think the forums that Student Government are a great way to get feedback from the students. Without the voice of the students, there would not be a Student Government." said Dylan Lloyd, a senator for the College of Liberal Arts.

The forums can help bring up topics the Student Issues Committee might not have known was an issue. When students go and participate in the forums they fill out a slip of paper with their complaint and have the opportunity to talk to senators about the issue. According to Conley, the committee is typically the first to review the student comments. From there, the committee gets further feedback from the senate. The committee has also passed on certain items to the University Affairs Committee within SGA because the issues fell under that committee's responsibilities.

"If a student notices that lights are burnt out along the lighted corridor at night, we'll inform DPS who will then take the proper steps to replace the bulbs," SGA chief of staff Benny Dorris said. "Also, we maintain a constant dialogue with Chartwells regarding the dining experience at Southeast, so we are able to pass along any concerns related to those services."

"Many students wrote comments about the hours of Wild Greens, in the UC Redhawk's Market, saying they would like salad for dinner. Senators voiced this during meetings with Chartwells representatives and during Dining Services Advisory Committee, and this year, Wild Greens has dinner hours, alternating weeks with Rotations," Conley said.

The forums almost always have been themed, according to Conely, because it helps to get more student's involved. They have had many different themes such as #pumpkinprobs, Naughty or Nice List, Pillow Talk and Fountain-Side Chats.

"The themed forums are beneficial for both us and the students for several reasons. It's a convenient way for us to market each event to the students, and we usually make them interactive so that while you're doing an activity -- decorating a pumpkin, for example -- a Student Government representative can talk to you about any concerns you have regarding campus life," Dorris said in an email.

"When we had a 'Naughty and Nice' list, students were lining up to sit on Santa's lap. It also gave the students a chance to not only point out the bad things about the university, but it let's them talk about what they like," Lloyd said. "A theme will get students out, rather it's pumpkins or Santa, students love to see us look like goofballs."

The committee is not able to work with every complaint they receive. According to Conley, they often receive very general complaints such as "Parking is bad," which they can't work with because they don't know what aspect of parking is "bad". According to Conley, even when they receive general complaints, the committee do their best to work with them. SGA can't erase a student's parking tickets, but they can make sure parking rules and regulations are more easily found on campus.

If a student has a comment or concern at any time they can email a senator from their college or school, by finding their senators at www.semo.edu/studentgov.