Positive feedback on ‘Positivity Mirrors’ exceeds expectations of SGA

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Photo by Levi Peacock

SGA President McDermott talks to Senator Amy Scoggins.

Written By Levi Peacock, SGA Beat Writer

The Student Government Association (SGA) held its most recent legislative body meeting on Monday, Oct. 11. There was not much for the Executive Cabinet or Senators to report on this week during this quick session, though one impactful topic of discussion was the feedback the SGA has received on their most recent “Positivity Mirrors” event.

The positive impact that this event had on students was so significant that it was brought up in this week’s meeting as its own topic of discussion.

The discussion of the Positivity Mirrors event started when a message sent by the host and organizer of the event, Recording Secretary Anna Skeels, was read aloud to the attendees of the meeting, as they were unable to attend themself.

It read:
Hello, I can’t be here today because of a faculty meeting. I want to give a HUGE thank you to those who attended the Plus-Size Appreciation Day event. I’ve been getting amazing feedback from students. Giving GIANT air-hugs right now!

Skeels was able to comment to The Globe about the Positivity Mirrors for Plus Size Appreciation Day event, held on Wednesday, Oct. 6. Students were able to come to Lawrence Hall Lobby and deck out a mirror with positive slogans.

“I’ve been really happy to receive a lot of good feedback from students about the event,” Skeels said. “People have come up to me to talk about how calming and fun the night was as well as how they appreciated the sentiment of having time and space to celebrate body positivity.”

Communications Director Drew Simko also had input about the feedback this event has been getting.

“The feedback we got from the positivity mirrors was overwhelmingly supportive,” Simko said. “It was wonderful to see so many people come together and create something in such a welcoming environment. Lots of posts were made on social media in regards to the event with people showing off their stellar mirrors and having a good time!”

President Dennis McDermott agreed to the sentiments of the feedback and thanked students for participating and senators for organizing the event.

“If you helped us do the plus-size appreciation event, thank you so much,” McDermott said. “That was probably the most successful event that we’ve held in my time here as president. It was very well thought out and very well planned. Anna did amazing and I wish they were here to take the credit for it.”

When requested to give further comment, McDermott declined.

“I want all the positive attention and congratulations to be focused towards Recording Secretary Skeels,” he said.

The main activity was to decorate mirrors with paint, markers and stickers to say kind and uplifting things. Attendees were then encouraged to take their decorated mirrors and hang them up in their rooms in order to have something nice to wake up to each morning. Skeels hoped to achieve a positive impact on campus by hosting this event.

“We usually associate looking into the mirror as a time to pick out things we don’t like about ourselves, and that can have a pretty negative impact on our personal well-being,” Skeels said. “When we look into the mirror, celebrating and loving our bodies as they are is something that enhances everyday life.”

Skeels also said that students who attended were even encouraged to paint or draw their favorite characters on the mirrors if they were unable to think of something positive in the moment.

“Having a mirror that tells you that you look beautiful, or has a drawing of your favorite cartoon character on it, makes looking in the mirror, and at yourself, a good experience,” they said. “It starts to reframe how you think of yourself.”

During this meeting, $8.27 was approved to be allocated to the Gender and Sexuality Spectrum Alliance (GSSA) for emergency funding. The reasoning for this request was that prices of what had to be bought changed without notice.

By-Law 204.4, which stated that SGA’s Graphic Design Coordinator (GDC) would be compensated with $250 per academic semester, was changed. It was a unanimous vote to move the stipend to $500 per academic semester to compensate for the rise in workload for the GDC.

Dean of Student Life, Michael Gieseke, also proposed a larger discussion on what is to become of campus’s Point Closet. Point Closet is the campus’ version of a free thrift store for students in need of clothing. This discussion will be held during future meetings.