The Campus Conservative

(Source: Student Government Association At UT-Tyler Facebook.) The Student Government Association (SGA) at UT-Tyler met for its weekly meeting on Oct.3. Here are some highlights from this meeting. Tidwell Cancelled UT-Tyler President Michael Tidwell cancelled his previously scheduled appointment to speak to SGA about rebranding, Swoop and the strategic plan shortly before the meeting started due to an emergency, SGA President Savannah Seely told the assembly. Tidwell sent a member of his president’s cabinet, Provost Amir Mirmiran, who gave SGA an update on the strategic plan instead. SGA did not announce when and if Tidwell will speak in the future. Based on the enthusiasm Mirmiran said Tidwell has for student input, it seems Tidwell will reschedule his visit to SGA. Student Input Resolution Postponed As a result of Tidwell's absence, the Student Affairs Committee did not present is draft resolution that would confront administration over what the assembly last ...

(Source: Flickr) This week, UT Tyler students will have an opportunity to vote on a measure substantially increase the mandatory Intercollegiate Athletics Fee. According to the ballot, the proposal will increase the maximum allowable amount the University can charge a student by 33 percent, from $180 per semester to $240, and phase this in over the next two years. For a student with 15 credit hours, that’s an approximately $120 annual increase. This is something every student should have a fair opportunity to vote on.  However, it seems an athletics victory is more likely now thanks to multiple failures by the Student Government Association (SGA). SGA portrays the Athletics Fee in a positive light on the ballot which may persuade voters to support it and the proposed increase. It reads:   Do you support the increase of the UT Tyler athletic fee? The proposed fee would increase by $2 per semester credit hour (from $12 to $14) next year and another $2 per semester ...

Source: kelly bell photography via Flickr On April 12, I wrote about how The Student Government Appropriations Committee's (SGAC's) denial of the Society for Human Resource Management's (SHRM's) UT Tyler chapter's funding request demonstrates how students' First Amendment rights need more protection. Here's a copy of the email I sent to Student Government Association (SGA) Treasurer Jacob Mcleod on April 13 about what I believe are infringements of three student organizations' First Amendment protections by SGAC when it denied groups' funding requests based on their activities' perceived benefit to the student body. I'll keep the blog updated with this story! If you believe in free expression without punishment, please email Treasurer Mcleod and ask him to make the three reforms to SGAC Guidelines I mention at the bottom of my email. His email is JMcLeod at uttyler dot edu or call his office at 903.565.5648.  -- Dear Treasurer M...

(Source: Flickr) Recently, I was looking over the minutes of the committee that distributes funds to requesting student organizations for various activities, the Student Government Appropriations Committee (SGAC). For the most part, SGAC has done a good job approving requests from whichever organization without regard to the organization’s expressed viewpoint. It has distributed hundreds of dollars to multiple religious and political student organizations, something the committee has not always done until recently. However, one instance in 2017 should give First Amendment advocates cause for concern. On Nov. 2, 2017, SGAC denied a request from the Society for Human Resource Management’s (SHRM’s) UT Tyler chapter for $73.29 on the basis that the committee determined the chapter's event would not be sufficiently beneficial to the student body. The committee wrote in its minutes: This request was denied because SGAC felt it didn’t have the benefit the entire student bo...