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SGA approves new Peace Club and discusses other changes on campus

Members of Student Government at the SGA meeting on Friday, Oct. 14.

Lynandro Simmons General Assignment Reporter

Friday April 7, Student Government approved the start of the new Peace club organization.

“The purpose of Peace is to bring more awareness to sexual misconduct on campus,” said Jessica Holman.

Holman, a student worker and representative for the organization, said Peace would also show students how they can actively be involved in preventing sexual violence on campus. Peace currently has 15 pure educators in their ranks, she said. The group will allow and is pushing for students to become more actively involved in what they do.

“In order to include everyone we’re proposing volunteer membership,” she said.

Holman said Peace wants to make sure students are getting accurate information about campus resources and sexual violence in general. Students will be able to undergo training to become peer educators as well. Holman said they did understand if students couldn’t be as active due to time constraints.

“That’s why we have an option to just be a member,” she said. “So you can still be allowed to assist pure educators.”

Kristina Filomena, another representative from Peace, said another part of the volunteer membership is 18 hours of training to become an official pure educator and not just a member.

“The pure-eds will be the people voting, but we take everyone’s opinions into consideration,” said Filomena.

Peace wants regular members and is open to students who are interested even though they may not have the time to be heavily involved.

In addition to this, student government announced new changes for food on campus.

Stefany Mitchell, co-chair of the food service advisory committee, said there is a chance that smoothies may be coming to Conn Hall.

“You’ll have the option of also buying protein downstairs,” said Mitchell.

In addition the new choices, breakfast is now extended until 11:30 a.m. in Conn Hall due to some students being concerned that breakfast ended too early. There is also plans to add a charcoal grill in the student center soon.

Student government also addressed the recent proposed tuition increase by Patrick Dilger.

Kalie Menders, president of the student government, said the president does not believe things can just continue to go on how they currently are.

“He said we can’t just keep cutting away hoping to meet the budget deficit,” she said.

Due to the issue of the budget deficit two recommendations have been sent to the board of regents for better strategies, said Menders.

“What was suggested was a consolidation across all CSU institutions for non-student facing areas,” she said.

Throughout CSU community colleges things that were not necessarily student directed would be consolidated, said Menders. Things like IT, Community resources, and others were examples that were given.

“Ideally this won’t have as big an impact on students,” she said.

There has also been talks of operational consolidations for the 12 community colleges. There has been worries about the overwhelming number of community colleges in such a small space. The consolidation would place all of the colleges under one main system and have the remaining 11 become branches, she said.

“So there would be one president for 12 colleges instead of 12 presidents for 12 colleges,” said Menders.

Though there are great changes to come for colleges in the state of Connecticut, Menders said it was good that there was a president that cared about the students.

“We have a president who is cognizant,” she said. “He is putting the students first.”

Photo: Stock Photo from a Student Government meeting on Oct. 14; Credit: Palmer Piana – Photo Editor

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