Budget changes to fund new office space for student representatives

SGA President Ralph Akalonu addresses members of the executive council and senate. Members of senate are looking at budgetting money for renovations into their budget to move their office to the first floor of the GUC.

Members of SGA’s executive council are working on passing a bill, which will approve the budgeting of funds to renovate new space in the GUC. The space will be a new office area for the executive members of SGA to work and meet with students, officials said.

Currently, SGA’s offices are located on the second floor of the GUC. Many members of SGA feel as though their location is not accessible for students, and they feel as though the location on the first floor of the GUC will better serve students, officials said. The new location will be in the old disability support services office space.

The renovations to the office space will cost SGA an estimated $7,000, which was budgeted from other line items in their budget. Money was taken from miscellaneous line items, C Leg areas, retreats and events that SGA pays for each year. SGA President Ralph Akalonu has not yet signed this year’s budget into law.

The budget, which will be voted on in the Nov. 3 senate meeting, will reflect the new dollar amount needed for the renovations, Akalonu said. The budget was not passed at the last senate meeting because there was not a two-thirds majority at the meeting, he said.

“This is a temporary move,” Akalonu said. “(SGA will be in the new location) until the academic commons building is built.”

Akalonu expects the move to happen in February or March of 2012.

“Where we currently are right now is hidden away from people who are supposed to be able to come to us,” Akalonu said. “The more visibility that we can have will be beneficial to our purposes and what we hope to achieve.”

Akalonu said few members of the student body stop by their offices at the current location, and he feels the move will greatly boost the number of students who stop in and talk to their elected student leaders.

Other members of the executive council are excited for the added features of the new location.

“It’s going to make us more accessible to students,” said Vice President of Senate Emily McCann. “Every student should know where the office is.”

McCann feels as though moving the office will provide better opportunities for senators and other members of SGA to meet with their constituents.

“If the student body doesn’t know where your office is, you aren’t doing your job,” McCann said. “Students will be able to see us, they will be able to stop by more, there will be more one-on-one contact, which needs to be done more.”

For more information on SGA’s budgets or any other questions contact Akalonu at (256) 765-4207.