Andrew Hubbard, business administration management freshman, discusses a concern about standarized textbooks and difficult access to the association’s Facebook page during the Student Government Association meeting Monday in Loftin. Meetings are open to all students. Monica Correa
By Michael Meinen
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
At the Feb. 18 Student Government Association meeting, the main topic of discussion was the importance of SGA officers and members to attend SGA meetings and events.
SGA Secretary Justin Wideman, biology and pre-nursing sophomore, encouraged all SGA officers and members to attend all meetings and events. “Being here and at the events is very important,” he said.
The association hosted 60 students and teachers visiting from Southwest Texas High School at 10 a.m. Feb. 22.
Guests toured the campus and inquired about clubs, activities and services that San Antonio College provides.
President Robert Zeigler, at the Feb. 14 Pepsi with the President, supported a continued ban on concealed weapons on campus for both students and employees.
But the big topic was standardized books.
SGA supports a plan for one textbook per subject to lower the costs of higher education and raise the supply of textbooks. President Robert Zeigler encouraged students to speak out along with faculty on this issue.
The Faculty Senate opposed one textbook per course during the Feb. 21 forum with Dr. Jo-Carol Fabianke, vice chancellor for academic success.
As SGA vice-president, anthropology sophomore Mike Martinez put it, “We’re the ones reading the books.” SGA will ask students what they prefer: standardized textbooks or e-books.
Andrew Hubbard, business administration and management freshman, a student attending the SGA meeting, hoped faculty would voice their opinions to the students.
Hubbard said “a representative, a professor or chair” of each department should convey their views to the students. The students should then decide what they want to do.
“The most visibility is best to student bodies,” Hubbard said. The SGA will try to set up an open forum for students to discuss standardized books and other issues.
Wideman then complimented SGA officers and members on “a really good job so far this semester.”
He also encouraged the officers and members graduating or transferring this year to support SGA elections in April.
“We need to have participation up in elections, so we don’t put it all on the president to appoint new officers,” Wideman said.
The next Pizza with the President is noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday and will be streamed online.
The broadcast will be covered on the SAC Twitter and Facebook page.
Students can Tweet and Facebook questions.
The SGA’s new amended constitution has not been ratified.
On Feb. 11, SGA voted to amend its constitution to add two officers: a historian and a parliamentarian.
The constitution needs the signatures of President Robert Zeigler; Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of academics and student engagement; Emma Mendiola, dean of student affairs; and Emily Kahanek, interim director of student life.
The signatures have not been obtained yet. When asked who would be chosen for the new positions, SGA Secretary Justin Wideman said, “No one has been chosen yet.”
SGA President Jacob Wong, psychology sophomore did not attend the meeting because he was attending Alamo Community College District Strategic Planning Meeting downtown.
The meeting involved the leaders of the Alamo Colleges, district and community, who meet to discuss plans for the district.
More than 140 people were in attendance.
