Graphic: What are your organizations’ goals for this year?
Mimi: What the Student Government Association has been discussing is experience and connectedness. We want to work towards more lasting changes on this campus, whether through more traditions or just day-to-day practices. We are working with administration and hope to connect faculty and students, students off campus and students on campus. Also, we have been working with those planning the 75th anniversary celebration and have been thinking about new traditions that we want to start, because this is a monumental year.
Danielle: Our main goal of the year is to promote community at Pepperdine. We want to do this through club collaboration, such as having two clubs come together to put on an event. Instead of 67 separate clubs, we want them to intermix and collaborate.
G: How does the increased student activity fee affect your work this year?
D: Inter-Club Council (ICC) is now going to have a weekly meeting, instead of one every other week. We will have more funds for the clubs to use. We are also going to be doing an ICC club retreat, to train how to use CollegiateLink [a co-curricular organization network], and it will also be a fun bonding experience with dinner and laser tag for those clubs to meet one another.
M: We are really excited that clubs have more opportunities to get funding through ICC so we can focus more on policy issues or structural. Like currently, Lovernich is looking to put in a new fire pit, so we are looking to give funding to that. Or last year, a class was looking to add shuttle runs to Santa Monica or the beaches, so we could potentially add money to pay for the driver or gas. It will be great to do things more and not just give away small amounts to clubs.
G: How do you plan on working together as organizations to improve the student body and school?
M: We have talked with Athletics, and they would really like us to get the word out to clubs that they can be featured at a sporting event, sponsor something at games or speak at halftime. It would be PR for them and the teams. We have also been talking about clubs attending other club events or program events to support.
D: I definitely agree with all of that. Now that our offices are on the same floor of the HAWC, we will definitely interact more. Seeing the clubs every week, we will be able to let SGA know more about what they are feeling and thinking, and add more input that they usually don’t get.
M: Absolutely. We would love more communication with ICC. Because before, we basically thought that ICC just gave out money.
D: That’s all that most people know.
G: It seems like more decisive differences between the two organizations will really help with communication across the board. What are some of your personal goals for this year?
M: One of my main goals is something I started last year. I really want to get a common area established for Lovernich. Also, we’ve been working with Payson Library because they cleared out a large area of outdated reference books and we want to create a more relaxed, study break space there. And I am so more than open to hear more ideas. I feel very energized and would like to get a lot done this year.
D: A personal goal of mine is more transparency within ICC, because we have double the funds to use this year. So we are going to be able to see exactly what the money is going towards, and we are having clubs respond after receiving funds as to what went well and what didn’t go well. I think it will create a lot more accountability since all of us will be able to access that information online. It’s all of our money, so I feel like it’s really important.
M: Also, SGA is getting a Facebook page, Twitter page, and hopefully CollegiateLink. So we hope everyone follows us and likes us so they can stay up to date with everything that is going on.
G: Is there anything else that you want students to know about SGA and ICC?
D: Another reminder is that Culture Fest and Club Fair will be on September 14th from 11-2, which will be a great way for people to come and get involved.
M: September 14th is also the day of SGA elections, and election packets are due the week before, on the 7th. We are really encouraging people to run because as the 75th year, it’s going to be a really big year. Administrators that I’ve met with really want to hear from students, so I want students to be involved and help make changes at the University.
