Throughout the semester, Student Government Association President Jackie Shydlowski '09 has made various structural changes to the SGA Constitution and SGA Executive positions. Shydlowski graduates this year, and Raina Bretan '10, current VP for Clubs and Organizations, will fulfill the SGA president position.
During her tenure as VP for Clubs and Organizations this semester, Bretan created a new policy addressing the structure of SGA clubs. Some of her achievements include organizing the first President's Council Meeting, in which she discusses ideas and concerns with club presidents.
Reflecting on her time as VP for Clubs and Organizations, Bretan saw herself as an effective medium between clubs and the SGA Office.
"My 'office hours' were well attended and I met with several existing clubs and several potential clubs over the last few months," Bretan said.
The most daunting tasks she embarked on were determining appropriate penalties for club infractions and meeting with club Presidents who are concerned about promoting and gaining momentum for their club. To ameliorate tumultuous club situations, she maintained "open and consistent communication with club President's this year has helped foster a stronger relationship between clubs and the SGA," Bretan said.
She plans on continuing Shydlowski's policies. "I want to work with President Shydlowski's momentum," Bretan said. Shydlowski has been providing Bretan with important documents and advice to ensure a smooth transition.
In addition to continuing Shydlowski's policies, Bretan will consult with the Executive Committee elect to design an SGA logo for next year. Over the summer she will plan methods of leadership training and brainstorm new ideas. "I have a lot of learning, research and creative thinking to do over the summer," Bretan said.
Jason Sherwin '09, VP for Financial Affairs, is in charge of managing the Student Activity Fee's $507,161.50 budget. The money supplies SGA clubs with a budget to undergo their plans for the academic year.
In conjunction with the Budget and Finance Committee, Sherwin has made major changes to the SGA Financial Policies and Procedures.
"I am confident that this set of policies will stand the test of time so that future vice presidents can spend more time focusing on their own agendas rather than having to deal with inconsistent policies," Sherwin said.
He has made decisions in the SGA Senate that have benefited clubs with little funding. On March 20, he allocated funding from the planned spending budget to the program support fund, which provides funding for activities that are not planned in advance.
One of Sherwin's biggest challenges throughout the year has been separating personal relationships from his duties as the VP for Financial Affairs. He acknowledges the difficulty of providing one club with more funding than another, and facing the impact it may have on his friendships with some club presidents. "You have to be impartial with every decision that you make," Sherwin said.
"While every new vice president has tons of ideas as to how to make their position more effective and efficient, your main job is simply to manage people," Sherwin said.
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