BusySemester

With the New Year beginning, the Student Government Association (SGA) has a number of events planned for this semester. This month, the group’s main focus is to promote Black History Month by promoting various events planned for WSSU students by other organization such as Campus Activity Board and Class Council. One event that SGA is sponsoring to promote student awareness and collectives is the HBCU “Think Tank” at Tennessee State University from Feb. 20-22. “Think Tank” is an opportunity to interact with other HBCU students and various speakers such as Ed Gooden and Dr. Sonja Sanchez. Additional events during the weekend are a Greek step show, gym jam and a banquet to end the weekend. “WSSU is different from the other HBCU schools because we opened up the “Think Tank” to everyone while other HBCU schools just bring their student leaders,” said Marques Johnson, the vice president of Internal Affairs.”Students Day at the Capital” took place Feb. 4. This was another big event for SGA because it enabled the student body to voice their opinions concerning tuition. “Students Day at the Capital is a day all students will come together to help place a freeze on state tuition” said Marques Johnson. One of the main speakers, Molly Broad, the president of the University of North Carolina System, spoke on tuition and other issues facing schools in the UNC system. SGA provided two free buses for WSSU students. SGA members also have numerous goals they would like to implement this semester. “Keeping the students more aware of the master plan construction and providing more programs that the student body will feel apart of” said Kristie Swink, SGA president. One major goal in mind for Swink is to focus more on the educational setting. However, one thing Johnson wishes he could change is “the fact that more than half of the freshmen males are on academic probation.”SGA has teamed up with other organizations to help promote different events. Avis Gray’s production class and SGA will throw a Valentine’s Day dance and play on Feb. 14. Campus Activity Board and the Class Council will throw a comedy show with Coco Brown, Nick Lewis, D.S. Saunders and Red Bone charging $2 to get in for WSSU students.