SGA Moves To Confront Administration Over 'Inadequate Student Input' For Mascot, New Brand


(Image used with permission.) 

The Student Government Association (SGA) at UT-Tyler took formal action Wednesday to confront university administration over what it described as "inadequate student input" during the institution's rebranding process.

The assembly unanimously passed a motion to "draft a resolution regarding inadequate student input concerning rebranding and [to] also provide a standard for future student input."

According to SGA Treasurer Jacob Mcleod who made the motion, he and other members of the SGA Executive Board "have concerns regarding whether or not [administration] took our concerns into consideration" during the rebranding process.

Mcleod did not give specifics, but Parliamentarian Sean Coplen, also an executive board member, spoke up to underline this point to the assembly.

"It seems like people have been noticing it, not just in student government but all around campus, how things happen," he said.

"The focus groups which were around rebranding were kind of an afterthought, and just a formality, not really taking our concerns into consideration," he said.

"We see this in one with rebranding of the new “T”, another one could be Swoop. And one recently that could have happened would be the website change, which was brought before Faculty Senate, but not really student government," he said.

"This resolution, which will be written by the student affairs committee," Mcleod said, "will aim to ensure that each big change that affects the students, the administration will give the student body an opportunity to make their voice heard, particularly concerning the rebranding and also new mascot decision."

Coplen, who chairs the Student Affairs Committee, told the senate before the vote that, "This resolution would have two parts: one would be focusing on the rebranding issues, and the other part would be creating a standard on how student-wide issues should be brought before student government or even just made available for people to discuss."

Coplen said he plans to have something to present to SGA at the next week's meeting on Oct. 3

UPDATE: 

Twitter Save Swoop, a social media presence for Swoop devotees who do not want to see the mascot meet the chopping block, reported Friday that UT-Tyler President Michael Tidwell will speak to SGA about Swoop on Wednesday.

The Campus Conservative has not yet confirmed this report with the University.

Twitter: @jhescock 

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