You may have another chance to vote soon - not in a national presidential election, but for a new UM-Flint Student Government Council constitution.
According to Student Activities Assistant Director Jessie Hurse at the council meeting Oct. 3, a new SGC constitution is on its way. It will be voted on by the entire campus. so that "they (the students) know there may be, depending on the vote, some changes in Student Government to make it more effective," said SGC President Owen Agho.
The process will be very similar to last year's SGC elections and M-Fuse voting campaign. Students will first have the opportunity to read the constitution, and then vote online to either approve or disprove of the changes made.
The new constitution will separate SGC into a senate and executive branch, which SGC Vice President Nic Josey hopes will "diversify Student Government even more by increasing the number of members who have different histories, different cultures [and] different perspectives.
"It'll mimic real government [and] it'll provide students with an increased ability to voice their concerns," Josey said. According to Josey, the original constitution didn't provide certain students, such as housing students, Genesee Early College and graduate students, with the voice they deserved. If ratified by the student body, new positions will be filled by an election.
"It's definitely what this campus needs," Josey said.
University Avenue celebration could become annual event Apparently, Flint universities know how put on a fireworks show. SGC co-sponsored the Oct. 11 University Celebration at Kettering University, complete with live bands, vendors and a half-hour long fireworks display.
"It was amazing next to something you'd see on 4th of July in downtown Flint," Josey said.
Kettering's Student Government President Lulu Chen echoed Josey's enthusiasm, calling the celebration "amazing."
The celebration was designed to commemorate the road between Kettering and UM-Flint, previously known as Third Avenue, now named University Avenue, after much hard work from students of both universities.
Approximately 500-700 community members and others came to join in the festivities and watch the fireworks.
Josey hopes "to make it a yearly celebration of the monumentous feat that the student-led initiative accomplished in getting the name changed, because students definitely want to be a part of the revitalization of Flint." The celebration would be held on both Kettering and UM-Flint's campuses, alternating yearly.
"It was a nice event; hopefully it'll be the future of more collaboration between the universities," Agho said.
SGC co-sponsored the celebration, contributing a total of $500.
"It was just really, really exciting on a Saturday night to see such a big event going on in downtown Flint," Josey said.
In other news...
A resolution has been proposed to the administration asking for a second M-Fuse concert in April 2009. Voting for the free concert has already started online, and will continue until Oct. 24. • Marcus Batson, director of University Affairs, has been meeting with Provost Jack Kay to discuss a possible textbook scholarship to help students with the high price of text books.
• Hurse is looking at the possibility of purchasing gaming systems for student rental in the UCEN. Systems being considered are a PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and a Nintendo Wii.
• New furniture, cabinets and televisions are set to be installed Oct. 13 at the earliest or Oct. 16 at the latest. "It'll be just another addition to the move toward making the UCEN a true University Center," Josey said.
• Several new clubs have been approved in the passed few weeks, including:
• The German Club
• Yoga Education Society
• Philosophy Club
• Outrageouz
• Cycling Club
• Software Developers Club
• Student Michigan Education Association
• Colleges Against Cancer
• Monday Manna
• The Chaldean Arab Student Association
Be the first to comment on this article!