The Pointer UW-Stevens Point Student Newspaper
SGA recently updated their bylaws with several improvements to ensure that they can effectively serve the student body by remaining ethical in their actions within the organization.
SGA has been working throughout the entire academic year on the updates. The last time these laws were updated was 2011.
“The goal was to write the bylaws so that they do not have to be rewritten, only modified during every two-year review process,” said Ryan Specht, the SGA president.
These changes are especially important to the organization due to the high turnover of student officers in recent years.
“We are required to review all of our documents and contracts to be sure that they are as effective as possible,” Specht said.
This year’s updates were somewhat of an overhaul, making changes ranging from modification of the impeachment process and expansion of the disciplinary process, to implementing a system to get formal letters out in a timely fashion and establishing a new proxy voting system to help meetings go smoothly.
In addition, position descriptions, as well as the nine committee descriptions, have been updated. Duties have been expanded and contracted to be sure the organization is as efficient as possible.
Perhaps the most exciting change for students is the addition of a student interest representative position. Instead of taking on all the duties of being a senator, a student in this position will be allowed to explore the specific issues he or she is concerned about by voting on whichever committees he or she pleases. It is a way for students to get involved with SGA without the commitment of becoming a senator.
“For example, if a student is solely interested in academics, they can sit in on the Academic Affairs Committee and not be tied down to other meetings they may not have interest in attending,” Specht said.
Much time is spent on self-regulation in SGA but for good reason.
“These bylaws are an important guiding mechanism of the organization,” Specht said. “These updates are necessary to maintain an open and ethical representation of the student body. It is simple. If we have good principles, we do work better.”
MyKayla Hilgart
mhilg143@uwsp.edu
