The topic of university students voting was brought up at Ball State University’s Student Government Association’s (SGA) Sept. 11 meeting.

Guest speaker David Roof from the Center for Economic and Civic Learning spoke on the importance of students voting in elections. He also provided information on “Cardinals Vote!,” a website made through a partnership with the Center for Economic and Civic Learning, the Office of Student Engagement and the Office of Student Life.

“I believe in voting … We should feel it's a civic obligation,” Roof said. “It's something you have to do, and we should feel compelled to do it [for] civic reciprocity — a sense that part of democracy is because we have differences.”

He reminded the senate that voter registration ends Oct. 8 for the upcoming general election. 

After Roof’s presentation, SGA introduced two student justice applicants: Kali St. Julien and Brynn Hensley. 

Julien, a third-year economics major student, is heavily involved on Ball State’s campus. He cited his involvement as the Honors College Student Success Fellow, as a teacher’s assistant for honors classes and being the president of the Honors Organization for Promoting Equality (HOPE), among other organizations.

Due to his heavy involvement on campus, Julien thinks he will make a great fit as a justice on the SGA Judicial Board.

Julien was voted in 22-0 with one abstention.

Hensley, a third-year legal studies major student, is the secretary of the Mock Trial Association at Ball State. She also is an Honors College academic peer mentor. Due to her background and involvement, she thinks she will be a good addition to the judicial board.

Hensley was approved 22-0 with one abstention. 

SGA then introduced four senator applicants: Gracie Hamilton for the Collegiate Caucus to represent the College of Sciences and Humanities, Lillie Day for the At-Large Caucus, Gunjot Dhot for At-Large and Grace Rerucha for At-Large.

Hamilton wants to improve the first year experience. She was approved 21-1 with one abstention

Day, who wants to make bussing safer for students from the football stadium, was approved 22-0 with two abstentions 

Dhot wants to make the breakfast meal swipe higher as well as  curbing bike theft. Dhot was approved 20-0 with three abstentions.

Rerucha wants to try to make Ball State's family weekend more of a family mixer as well as having SGA host a football game. Rerucha was approved 25-0 with zero abstentions. 

After the senators were voted in, President Poole discussed student transportation.

“We're happy to announce that our platform point regarding transportation will be moving forward, as we're looking to partner with the athletic department to establish more on-campus bus routes to 

Scheumann Stadium and the tailgate field for large games such as homecoming weekend,” he said.

To end the meeting, the executive board brought some upcoming events to the senators’ attention, such as the Indianapolis Museum of Art hosting a college night on Tuesday, Sept.17th and the Civic Learning Symposium on Sept. 27 and 28 at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center.  After closing statements, and with no new or unfinished business to vote on, the meeting was adjourned.

Contact Shelby Anderson via email at sanderson9@bsu.edu .

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