SGA Brief

President Ben Able called the twenty-fourth meeting of the 39th Council of the Student Government Association (SGA) to order at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 1, 2010, in the Watkins Room of the University Center. As usual on the first meeting of the month, director of dining services Susan Presto brought food for representatives and guests to eat during the meeting.After the invocation led by treasurer Addison Howard (religious council representative Scott Parnell being absent), secretary Julianna Battenfield took roll (junior Bethany Ullrich and freshman Theta Brown were absent). The first special guest of the evening was Robbie Giles, an Assistant Coordinator of Housing & Residential Life, to talk to Council about the upcoming housing lottery.

Giles announced that housing will be releasing its lottery flyer Feb. 5, and will be hosting informational sessions on the Vinings lottery later in February. The lottery itself will begin on March 22 with the Vinings, followed by the North Village lottery on April 6-9. The residence hall lottery will come the following week.

Next, Adam Summer and Susan Presto addressed Council about dining services. Summer first discussed Aramark catering - which has an exclusive contract for all on-campus catering - and said that, contrary to their stereotype, they offer many more options than commonly thought and can fit student group needs. He also said that the PalaDen Food Court will be having a "February Food-court Frenzy," during which many days will offer specials and surprises at the P-Den. Senior representative Alastair Hay recommended that dining services create an open comment forum on FirstClass to enable students to interact more quickly with dining services.

Next, the Director of Student Activities Scott Derrick asked Council for about $1,700 to send students to an Association of College Unions International recreational tournament in Knoxville, Tenn. to play spades, billiards and ping-pong. The University Center has worked with Owen McFadden, Director of Recreational Sports, to chose 21 students to send. This motion was passed unanimously. Derrick also said that April 14 will be the Furman celebration of Dr. Shi's presidency, which will begin with a tailgate at 4:30 p.m. before a Greenville Drive baseball game at 7:00.

In Officer Reports, Able said that the alcohol proposal will be presented to the Student Life Committee of the Board of Trustees in two weeks. Vice President Patrick Wallace next said that the inaugural Thursday-night bowling celebration was a success, and it will continue every Thursday for the rest of the school year. He also said that the SGA-shuttle will soon be purchasing a Global Positioning System, and he is working with Scott Derrick to update the computers in the bottom of the University Center.

In Old Business, the Hispanic Organization of Learning and Awareness constitution was approved unanimously. Two new constitutions were introduced in New Business: A Fashionable Cause constitution and the Indie Rock Appreciation Club (IRAC) constitution.

In Open Forum, Alastair Hay, the chair of the Constitution Committee, said that his committee is thinking about reforming the Council to make it smaller, more intimate and more effective. One way he hopes to accomplish this is by removing the RLC, minority/international, FUSAB, religious council and intramural representatives from Council.

Council adjourned at 6:55 p.m.