SGA to aid with Hurricane Harvey Relief

The Student Government Association announced at its meeting yesterday that its service project
for the year will involve two different relief funds for those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

One of these relief efforts will be a monetary donation and will take place at this Saturday’s
home football game versus Prairie View A&M. The other will be an item drive that is going to take place
at a later date.

SGA Director of Public Relations Josie Graham said that the organization will be at every
entrance to the football stadium this Saturday with boxes for cash donations only. The money will go
straight to Harvey victims through the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents (COSP), who
ordered the collection.

“It’s COSP that’s going to get that money to [the victims],” said Graham. “It’s not Red Cross or
any of that other stuff. It’s our money going straight to the victims.”

The second collection, which will take place in partnership with other organizations, will be of
specifically requested items like clothes and canned goods, said Graham. Once a full list of items is
approved, SGA will push it out to the student body. Graham said that the organization will likely put
collection boxes in the student union.

Additionally, SGA passed a motion to make its actions taken at each meeting public for all
students to see. Graham said that the organization is going to post one to two sheets detailing actions
taken on its bulletin boards in each of the different colleges. A full list of minutes will be available on the
SGA website and on bulletin boards in Greek Hall and in front of the SGA office.

“The motions that Tommy vetoes and things that are officially passed or failed will go on this
list, and that’s all that’s going to be on the boards,” Graham said.

SGA will also be celebrating Constitution Week next week by handing out Constitution gavels to
teach people more about the Constitution if they are interested. At the table will also be an opportunity
for students to express frustrations regarding campus issues through comment boxes.

“We’re going to have little boxes or bowls that are going to have different topics like residence
life, parking, or food,” said Graham. “[Students] will be able to write a specific concern about that
subject, and we’ll address it and do whatever we can to fix it.”

SGA also passed motions to co-sponsor the Blessed By Downs Buddy Walk 5k along with the
Student Programming Association and to approve the fall and yearly budgets. The organization also
approved the appointment of Alaina Morella to the election commission.

Voting for the homecoming king and queen will begin on Sunday at midnight and end next
Wednesday at noon.