Ball State’s Student Government Association (SGA) met Oct. 23 and welcomed the university’s Chief Sustainability Officer Margaret Lo. 

Lo discussed topics such as the university’s Strategic Sustainability Action plan, as well as how students can help with sustainability efforts around campus. 

“Sustainability is balancing the needs of people, [the] planet and profits [for] prosperity,” Lo said.

Lo said some ways students can help improve campus sustainability include turning off the lights when not utilizing a room and implementing a plant-based diet. Students can read more about Ball State’s sustainability efforts through the organization’s website. 

Lo also talked about how she noticed SGA was concerned about transportation education. To combat this, she is working with parking and transportation services to send out a survey to see how satisfied students are with transportation on campus.

Afterward, SGA viewed a presentation from representative Jayden Flemming of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), who advocated on behalf of the organization for them to receive an unprotected seat in the Senate. 

“Our goals for this year [are] to establish ourselves on campus a little bit more as an organization to all students that may be able to find us resourceful and to provide a safe space for all to come and enjoy,” he said.

Flemming said the NAACP wants a seat in the senate because SGA  is a well-established organization on campus. The NAACP aims to have at least 25 active members and 40 by the end of the academic year.

He also said SGA will benefit NAACP through its leadership roles.

“[NAACP] can earn and promote equity and community engagement. We will also benefit from an advocate platform aspect allowing us to have leadership development and collaboration opportunities,”  Flemming said.

NAACP received an unprotected seat in the Senate 33-1 and with one abstention.

Executive reports followed this approval, as President Noah Poole said SGA has a transportation plan available to students during the homecoming football game. 

The buses will be going from campus to Scheumann Stadium and will have the same route as Family Weekend but run from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Vice President Brenna Large gave the final details for SGA’s election night watch party. It will be held on Nov. 6 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center in Cardinal Halls A, B and C. At the event, there will be different organizations at tables with flyers.  

SGA will also have four different news stations playing at all times so students can choose what channel they watch during the election.

With no new or unfinished business, the meeting was adjourned. The next meeting open to the public is on Oct. 30 at 3:15 p.m. at the L.A Pittenger Student Center. 

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

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