By Ana Ruiz Brictson | Staff Writer
Baylor’s Student Government Senate Executive Council (SEC) will be working on a number of projects to help improve academics and organizations for students, staff and faculty.
Dallas senior and chair of Academic Affairs at SEC Harper Taylor said this semester, her team will be working in the academic realm with students, teachers, faculty, graduate students and even teaching assistants.
According to Taylor, one of the projects her team has been working on is within the ROTC department. Their current goal is to have a minor or secondary major designation for ROTC and Airforce. She said most other schools have one, while Baylor does not. She said she has been working closely with the lieutenant colonel at Baylor to work out this matter.
Taylor also said other members of her group are making an effort to see the cheer teams have the same credits as other sports teams.
“A few of my members are working with the cheer team to somehow work out to get them a lifetime fitness credit, similar to how the other sports get one,” Taylor said.
Some other projects Taylor said her team is working on are adding more resources to the syllabus and working out different breaks for this semester.
Additionally, the SEC is working on the possibility of adding a program for a scholarship or funding relief for graduate students, professors and teaching assistants.
Clay Jeha, San Francisco junior, senator and finance committee chair for Student Government, said he is currently working to get the Student Government Allegation Funds (SGAF) to pass on to next year’s incoming team rather than having them go back to Baylor.
“Essentially, right now or in the past years, it’s been whatever we don’t spend from the SGAF goes back into Baylor’s general fund,” Jeha said. “Student Government kind of loses the ability to have a say in what general fund goes to.”
Jeha said this has been one of his individual goals that will also benefit the incoming students who join Student Government. He also said this project is currently being discussed with the university.
Jeha said another one of his main goals was to target multicultural organizations that have not received enough funding from Student Government due to Greek organizations receiving more funding. He said they will focus more on these organizations this semester.
Within the three branches of Student Government, Betsy Morello, Jefferson City, Mo., sophomore and associate justice, said the judicial branch will continue to deal with student parking tickets and decide whether tickets should be appealed or if they need to be reversed.
Morello said that there is currently a spot on the judicial branch that is yet to be filled and that applications are open for students who are interested to join.
Student Government will be working on several projects throughout the semester to improve student, staff and faculty life on campus.
