2008 Woodie Awards
SGA outlines spring term agenda
Leslie Lim
Issue date: 1/24/07 Section: News
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During the latest meeting of the Student Government Association (SGA), President Alex Stanton '07 stated that this winter term has been a busy period, as meetings pave the way for spring projects. The SGA's highest priority, Stanton said, was "the reformation of the budget to create 'flex funds'" to address unexpected needs. The SGA is also overseeing the continued progress of the SafeRides initiative, the improvement of communication between the student body and the SGA and the transparency of the SGA committees.
A number of newer projects are also in the works. In the coming months, the SGA hopes to bring another newspaper, the Addison County Independent, to its free newspaper program, on top of expanding wireless internet access across campus, scheduling a concert series in the spring, developing a formal social honor code, deliberating about room draw, replacing Napster and contributing to the focus report on carbon neutrality.
Budget reformation tops the SGA's to-do list. Currently, money from the College's Student Activities Fee goes directly to the 140 student groups on campus. However, Stanton stressed that if the money runs out unexpectedly, there is no reserve or flexibility to compensate for it. To ameliorate the problem, the SGA is proposing to increase the Student Activities' Fee from roughly $250 to $350. Compared to the rates of other NESCAC schools, Middlebury's fee currently ranks in the lower third.
"The original sum will still be directly allotted to the student groups," Stanton said. "But the increase will allow us to form specific funds that will be able to better address the needs of students."
"Flex funds" will be able to address unexpected needs, better preparing student groups' finances. The SGA will also create "banded funds" that will promote cooperation between student groups by tying together related financial resources. For example, different sports teams will be encouraged to share transportation by arranging events at similar times. For students seeking financial support for social gatherings, the SGA has proposed that yet another fund be made available. Stanton suggested that this fee increase could prevent the slashing of individual student group budgets, such as the 12.5 percent cut made in the fall.
A number of newer projects are also in the works. In the coming months, the SGA hopes to bring another newspaper, the Addison County Independent, to its free newspaper program, on top of expanding wireless internet access across campus, scheduling a concert series in the spring, developing a formal social honor code, deliberating about room draw, replacing Napster and contributing to the focus report on carbon neutrality.
Budget reformation tops the SGA's to-do list. Currently, money from the College's Student Activities Fee goes directly to the 140 student groups on campus. However, Stanton stressed that if the money runs out unexpectedly, there is no reserve or flexibility to compensate for it. To ameliorate the problem, the SGA is proposing to increase the Student Activities' Fee from roughly $250 to $350. Compared to the rates of other NESCAC schools, Middlebury's fee currently ranks in the lower third.
"The original sum will still be directly allotted to the student groups," Stanton said. "But the increase will allow us to form specific funds that will be able to better address the needs of students."
"Flex funds" will be able to address unexpected needs, better preparing student groups' finances. The SGA will also create "banded funds" that will promote cooperation between student groups by tying together related financial resources. For example, different sports teams will be encouraged to share transportation by arranging events at similar times. For students seeking financial support for social gatherings, the SGA has proposed that yet another fund be made available. Stanton suggested that this fee increase could prevent the slashing of individual student group budgets, such as the 12.5 percent cut made in the fall.
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