Allyson Edge | Staff Writer
The Hampton University Student Government Association on Feb. 29 hosted its second annual student-led town hall in the Student Center Ballroom.
Specifically, the event was led by the student body president, vice president, student representative to the Board of Trustees and each class president. The idea of the student-led town hall serves as an open dialogue between SGA and the students whom they represent.
Throughout the event, students had the opportunity to come up to the microphone and pose inquiries or make suggestions. Members of the student government requested that students in the audience be transparent and utilize this platform to communicate in a respectful manner. Some of the concerns raised by students included: fire safety within certain buildings; student parking, specifically in the lots in between White and Holmes Hall; 24-hour co-ed study areas; adequate resident assistant compensation; gourmet bucks increase; and modernization of the business professional dress code, especially for women. Students also proposed making a printer available in each resident hall and having dorm fees applied to printer supplies.
The Student Government Association has been working on numerous issues this year that have been discussed in the past. HU student Kara Cunningham, a sophomore finance major, leadership studies minor and the vice president of the Finance Committee in SGA Senate, said that she has been working on providing students transportation to and from the health center.
“Currently my bill has been passed by the Senate and is in the works through Administration,” she said.
Additionally, SGA has been working to follow up with the improvement of the WiFi on campus.
There has also been a concerted effort for student safety on campus. One concrete initiative is changing the outdoor light bulbs to LED, so that they will be brighter in certain areas at night. SGA plans to develop more solutions to benefit the student body based on the suggestions of the Hampton University Police Department.
When asked about the importance of attending town halls, HU student Kaleb Hackley, a sophomore political science major as well as senate president pro tempore and executive assistant to the SGA president, said: “I believe attendance is important at town halls because they keep the SGA honest and accountable. They also give students the chance to have direct and open communication, which allows us to stay in touch with the student body. This is essential to SGA because it allows us to make changes that the student body supports!”
For those who were not able to attend the student-led town hall, Hackley would like students “to know that it doesn’t end here. We are always here for you. We were elected to serve you and advocate for your needs and we intend to do just that. I speak for everyone in SGA when I say that our doors are always open. We want to hear your needs, criticismss and suggestions.”
The Hampton Script 