KWU SGA hosts first meeting of the new academic year

By Ryah Klima / Photography Editor

Kansas Wesleyan University’s Student Government Association held their first meeting on Tuesday, September 5. The meeting began with an overview of this year’s budget and a review of the honor code, as well as a brief conversation about the elections for class presidents. There were many topics on the table for this introductory session, including a conversation about possible changes to the liberal studies requirements and foundational courses.

Dr. Steve Hoekstra, the Chair of Interdisciplinary Studies, spoke to the SGA about the possible changes in hopes of getting student feedback.

“We’re on the cusp of being able to populate a new structure with courses. But we want to make sure that the objectives of those courses are clear,” Hoekstra commented. In example, the current curriculum has a course for new KWU students that is called ‘The Wesleyan Experience’. This class, however, doesn’t always work well for transfer students.

“Our hope is to expand the Wesleyan Experience class to also have a version adapted for transfer students, because our students kind of just get dropped in, and you don’t get a chance to understand where all the campus resources and community resources are.”

Hoekstra stated regarding the possible changes. One part of the goal is to get transfer students introduced to KWU and bonded with other transfer students the way that freshmen typically are after the Wesleyan Experience class. However, the other part of the goal is to do this without causing a jam packed or stressful schedule for transfer students. 

Another topic of discussion at the meeting was the parking problem that KWU’s students, on and off campus, have been experiencing the last few weeks with the record high enrollment this year. KWU offers two types of parking passes, one for on-campus students, and one for off-campus students. Clay Gagnon, Executive President of the SGA, presented a possible solution to the meeting.

“The lot here next to Peter Science Hall, as well as the lot behind Pioneer Hall would transition to off campus only lots, as well as behind the Student Activity Center,” one student in attendance was curious about the street parking on Claflin Avenue and Cloud Street. However, these parking spots are owned by the City of Salina, rather than KWU.

Photo by Ryah Klima / The parking owned by the City of Salina on Claflin Avenue.

Las Vegas senior Aubreigh Heck, former Junior Class President, felt that designating that many lots to the off-campus students may create trouble for on-campus student’s safety.

“A lot of people, including myself, use Pioneer Hall as a separate parking lot because the Pfeiffer parking lot often has no spots. And if we turn that into off-campus parking, it’s going to be harder for, I’m gonna be honest, these young women to find parking spots, they’re gonna have to walk farther across a pretty dark campus. I just don’t see that as a safe option personally for me, or my residents,” This comment received plenty of agreement.

“I think for now, it would just be best to wait until the music center renovations are done because that’s taking up almost half of the parking at Pioneer Hall. Not making a long term solution for a short term problem,” Heck said, closing her argument.

Photo by Ryah Klima / The active construction site occupying part of the Pioneer Hall parking lot.

The final topic of the first SGA meeting was the possibility of getting new lighting installed at the outdoor pickleball and volleyball courts. This topic was also met with discourse over campus safety.

“I think if we’re going to put light somewhere it needs to be around campus before we prioritize pickle-ball and volleyball,” Heck stated. This led into a conversation about letting the proper faculty know when a spot on campus feels too dark.

No formal motions were made at the meeting. All future SGA meetings will take place on the last Tuesday of the month at 8:00pm. Letters of intent to run for a class president position must be turned in to the student development by Friday, September 15th. Voting will take place between Monday, September 18th, and Friday, September 22nd.