This Week In Student Government - Sept. 9/26

(Source: via Flickr)

Roll Call 

Speaker’s Podium: Korbin Hamner, New Student and Family Program Coordinator

Korbin Hamner oversees all freshman and transfer orientation, all Swoop Camp and first-year experience programs.  

NSFP Announcements

New Student and Family Programs (NSFP) Instagram page will launch applications for orientation and camp leader Monday. Hamner said orientation and camp leadership is a great opportunity to meet and welcome all incoming students. 

Requirements: Leaders only have to work four of eight orientation sessions, he said. For orientation sessions, the pay is $250 per session. There are three Swoop Camp sessions available for work at $250 per session. (These sessions are not required.) There are three transfer sessions at $100 per transfer session worked. 

“Whether you had a good or bad camp experience, you can apply to make it whatever you want,” Hamner said. ”I did not have a good camp experience and now I run camp. So, you know. You can have a full one-eighty.” 

Hamner said he is hoping to get baseball-style staff jerseys for next year.  

Other NSFP Programming

Camp 98 – An NSFP retreat to Camp Gilmont for staff bonding. Programming includes training and discussion of topics that pertain to leadership roles, such as personality tests and other topics.  
First-year experience events:

“First Friday.” Hamner said NSFP hosted a UC Takeover from 10 p.m. to midnight in University Center last year. The department aimed for roughly saw nearly 350 people attend when it aimed for around 200. Hamner said NSFP will try to hold one every semester, but certainly every academic year.
Upcoming Events: 

“Soda Pop, Car Shop.” Will include a DIY soda bar. Campus police will also show attendess basic car maintenance knowhow, such as checking tire pressure and oil. Hamner said a lot of first year students don’t know how to do these kinds of vehicle maintenance actvities. 

A DIY Holiday Craft before Thanksgiving Break is another upcoming NSFP event.  

Hamner asked the assembly if there are any events members would like to see for first-year students.
Member suggestions included a whiffle ball tournament, a pool party, tailgating events, sports watch party and a school-wide talent show. A member also said a lot of students want a mechanical bull. “I also want a mechanical bull,” Hamner said. “I am prepared to fight the insurance on that.”

About Korbin – 

Hamner attained his B.A. in Kinesology from UT-Tyler in 2021 and his masters in higher education from Oklahoma State University. He now oversees New Student and Family Programming.

He invites students to stop by if they have an idea for events. Hamner's office is in Student Engagement Office, UC 3410 on third floor University Center. 

New Student And Family Instagram link - https://www.instagram.com/uttylernsfp/. Camp application will go live Monday. 

Officer Reports – 

President Dix – Attended this week’s Leadership Tyler meeting. (Leadership Tyler is a leadership program associated with The City of Tyler.) Also spoke at Faculty Senate last week, met with Chief Financial Officer and SGA’s future goals. Attended Career Success Advisory Board meeting. (They spoke about the upcoming Career Success Conference.) Also attended Staff Senate, met with SGA Vice President Carnes about Midnight Breakfast planning and held Executive Board meeting last week. 

Vice President Carnes – Started planning for Midnight Breakfast. Will send email to student organizations for interest in tabling activity. 

Secretary Henry – Made Anti-Hazing sign that is now in the University Center. 

Treasurer Peters – Amended appropriations committee form to include time field for relevant event. Also created an appropriations follow-up form for student organizations with events sponsored by SGA to complete after event. Also finished updating Chief of Staff transition document which he said has important information for the next chief of staff. (Peters is transitioned out of chief of staff role to assume treasurer role.) 

Committee Reports -- 

Communications Committee -- Had first meeting Monday 5 p.m. Working on doing more posts on Instagram every week for people to look forward to coming from SGA.

Appropriations Committee (SGAC) – Approved Pre-Nursing Students who requested $14.54 for ice cream and napkins for its opening event. Approved Hispanic Students Association who requested $100 dollars for pizza for its second general meeting. Committee has no new requests as of SGA’s Tuesday meeting. 

Student Voice Reports

Houston Engineering Campus – [Senator either did not have anything to report or was unable to report due to technical problems.]

College of Engineering – Senator said students would like to see more places to plugin laptops in classroom. Expressed concerns of fire hazards due to so many extension cords. Also said students would like more study areas in library given construction and a working popcorn machine in lounge. 

Old Business – [None]

New Business –

New Senator Swear-ins

President Dix sworn in [I think] one new senator. 

Chief of Staff Special Election—

[Last week, SGA held nominations to fill vacant chief of staff officer position. Savannah Tropp was the sole nominee.]

Advisor Neaves said President Nix was correct last week to refrain from proceeding with Chief of Staff election as SGA cannot hold a special election without Advisor Neave present. 

During discussion, Sen. Mercardo asked the assembly to remember that the candidate did not express interest until someone nominated her. “When it was asked if anyone returning was interested, her name didn’t get brought up until someone elected [nominated] her. I feel like that is just important to point out. I don’t know.” 

Another senator who nominated the candidate (unknown) said, “I would rather it be her than not have a chief of staff at all.”  

The senate elected Tropp to Chief of Staff position. (Vote tally unknown.) 

President Dix swore-in Tropp.

Advisor Comments— 

Neaves encouraged members to sign-up to be an orientation leader and to be involved in New Student and Family Programs.

Announcements –

-President Dix asked members to sign-up to an SGA committee.
-Midnight Breakfast (Oct. 25)
-Arbor Day, mandatory event (Oct. 14)
-Trunk or Treat (Oct. 22)

Meeting adjorned after 40:19 minutes. 

Advisor Neaves delivered an announcement for members after the video recording ended. (I didn’t hear it.)

Meeting video available on YouTube.   

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X: @Jhescock12

Feature Image: Via Flickr. (Source unknown!)

 

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