The Student Government Association (SGA) met this week, and the meeting was chaired by President Pro-Tempore Sophie Burkholder in Vice President Bryce Hayzlett’s absence.

After roll was taken, the minutes were unanimously approved and the meeting moved into the first open floor of the meeting. After the open floor remained vacant, President Dennis McDermott took the floor to begin the reports of the executive cabinet. 

McDermott shared that over the last week, he had attended several meetings, including one with new senators and another with Paul Hennigan to discuss Point Park’s lack of communication with students regarding the number of novel coronavirus cases on campus. According to McDermott, Dean Keith Paylo and Hennigan are now actively working on an ‘Opt in” option for students in case they would like to be notified of the school’s coronavirus numbers. In another meeting regarding the concern of students over whether or not the floors in the dance studios are being cleaned often enough, McDermott said that the school, in many ways, is going above and beyond in the realm of tangible cleanliness, but that this matter would be discussed among the dance administration. 

McDermott then revealed that this meeting would have a resolution to rename the Student Concerns Committee the “Student Innovation Committee,” or SIC for short. McDermott, in an explanation, noted that Student Concerns handles a much broader spectrum of duties, and the name was no longer fitting for the committee. 

Communications Director Zeigler noted in his report that surveys will be emailed to senators shortly for them to fill out for a new Communications Committee plan that involves using SGA social media platforms to get students more acquainted with their SGA senators. 

In her report, Treasurer Kasey Newman discussed appeals to the budget passed by SGA last week. On Point A Capella was granted their appeal for an Adobe Premiere account, but the money was put into the internal budget in case any other clubs would have a use for the account. 

Recording Secretary D’Alicandro shared that the Student Concerns Committee had found a vice chair in the past week in Senator Gillian Paluch.

Parliamentarian Zach Washington proceeded to disclose that the Rules Committee had also found a vice chair that week in Senator Grace Tyler Frank-Rempel. 

Proceeding reports of the executive cabinet, reports of standing committees and senators were given. Senator Anna Skeels gave a report noting that she had asked to confront J.W. Tabacchi about getting dancers access to the weight room, and was told that this would not be possible, but that he would look into buying new equipment for dancers to use in their own workout area. 

The motion was made to allocate $239.88 to the SGA internal budget for the use of an Adobe Premier Pro account, and it passed unanimously.

Following the passing of appeals, the motion was made to change the name of Student Concerns to the Student Innovation Committee. Without discussion, the motion passed. 

During the second open floor, McDermott reminded senators that attending their committee meetings is one of the most important duties of an SGA senator, because more work gets done directly at a committee meeting than a regular legislative body meeting. 

The meeting ended after about a half an hour.