Pepperdine Student Government Association (SGA) hosts committees in the Howard A. White Center on Feb. 11. Junior Don Mario said he would come back to committees every now and then, especially if the changes discussed during committee meetings are implemented. Photos by Oliver Evans
The Pepperdine Student Government Association passed a general funds request for Disability Awareness Week (DAW), and the SGA Executive Board made the decision to be present at individual class senate meetings.
SGA also hosted committees for the second time this semester, with University administrators and Bon Appétit staff. Tim Spivey, Vice President for Spiritual Life, attended the Spiritual Life Committee.
“We just want to make sure that as an e-board, we are more present in terms of the meetings,” Vice President Jacqueline Justiss said. “Again, just to help you all. It’s not supposed to be a hindrance.”
DAW General Funds Request
SGA passed a general funds request for the leaders of DAW — Pepperdine Community Engagement & Service (CES) — that awarded them $2,000 as noted in the meeting agenda.
“This is a specific item — we are asking SGA to fund our merchandise,” said senior Thalia Markowski, a student assistant at CES. “It’s important that we are able to spread awareness through our event and have something long-lasting to have students represent DAW.”
CES has been working with community partners beyond Pepperdine, such as Shemesh Farms and Canine Companions, Markowski said. Within the University, CES collaborates with multiple student organizations, including Fraternity & Sorority Life, the Office of Student Accessibility and the Student Health Center.
“We would love it if there were any way people who are passionate about disability advocacy and want to get involved,” Markowski said. “We are hosting a roundtable discussion slash presentation of folks doing research on disabilities.”
Budgeting for DAW is generally unreliable, according to the general fund request.
E-Board and Class Senates
The decision to have SGA e-board members attend all class senate meetings was made so e-board can be more present, Justiss said. If any disagreement or discussion is underway, the e-board wants to catch it early rather than during a senate meeting, which meets only once a week.
“We wanted to make sure in the last three months of SGA that each senate felt clearly supported,” Justiss said.
The presence of e-board members at all class senates is just a way to clarify communication within SGA and ensure the campus has effective leadership, President H.L. McCullough said. The e-board is looking at ways to better serve the classes the senates represent. SGA has previously struggled with that and is looking to get results faster.
“We just want to make sure that as the cohort, we are present in the discussions,” Justiss said.
The SGA e-board announced it would have e-board members sit on class senate meetings for the remainder of the semester. Members of the senior class senate questioned the decision at the meeting.
“The members of the Senior Senate present at this meeting are frustrated by this encroachment,” Senior Class President Julian Moghaddasi said.
President H.L. McCullough and Senior Class President Julian Moghaddasi meet with Bon Appétit staff in the HAWC. Bon Appétit is looking into adding a booth during Waves Market on Tuesdays, Freshmen Class Senator Maya Sandoval said.
Committee Meeting with Administrators
The Dining Services Committee spoke with the head chef and main executive of Bon Appétit, Freshmen Class Senator Maya Sandoval said. The committee discussed the concern students are not spending their meal points.
“The chef and the head exec express that they think a lot of parts of the meal services area are very outdated,” Sandoval said. “They want to change that.”
New snacks in Nature’s Edge are the main thing the Dining Services Committee is working on, Sandoval said. A Google Form was shared with Pepperdine students so they can say which new snacks and drinks they want to see.
“They want healthier snacks,” Sandoval said. “I agree with that.”
Spivey and the Spiritual Life Committee largely discussed the Chapel program and how it can be improved, Junior Class Senator Adrielle Zindler said. Right now, it’s an amazing program with a lot of potential, but Zindler feels that potential isn’t being fully realized.
“A really unique aspect of SGA is that we have access to administration beforehand,” Zindler said. “Now we’re getting to actually partner, hear his ideas, and he’s getting to hear ours and see how we can work together.”
Junior Adia Anderson said it was interesting knowing change was in the works. Students don’t really see that aspect behind the scenes.
“Anytime we talk to administrators, I’m always blown away by how thoughtful they are,” General Judicial Council Christopher Hamdan said.
Junior Don Mario said he was part of the Athletics Committee. For him, a lot of the problem was that he never knew about the games.
“Definitely awareness,” Mario said. “We talked about maybe doing more posters, and also, I feel like people don’t really talk about the athletics.”
Additionally, SGA visited Malibu City Hall and received a tour from city representatives, SGA Adviser Danielle Minke said.
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Contact Oliver Evans via email: oliver.evans@pepperdine.edu