From the president

Wouldn’t it be great to check your e-mail and class updates directly from your cell phone? If you answered “yes” to that question, you are in luck: we are currently in the process of making that happen. On Nov. 8, I met with VCU Technology Services to hear a presentation from RAVE Wireless: a company that provides software for use with cell phones. Their products allow students to receive updates from Blackboard, e-mail, and other university resources such as dining updates straight to their cell phones. Some competitors of RAVE are Mobile Campus and E2 Campus. I hope to shop around with these competitors to try to find the best deal.

VCU SGA members attended the Virginia21 Student Leadership Committee (SLC) meeting Saturday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. in the Virginia21 office located in downtown Richmond. The VA21 SLC is made up of student body president’s from all of Virginia’s public colleges and universities. Issues discussed included the new budget amendments for higher education that will be proposed this General Assembly session, absentee ballot reform, redistricting reform and the results of the Democracy 101 poll worker program. SGA members in attendance included myself, political affairs director and deputy director Maggie O’Brien and Emily Reijmers, Senate vice-chair Stephanie Kinard and student senators Bruce Vann, Doug Allen and Eddie Brunson.

On Monday, the Senate discussed a law that, if passed, could potentially enable students to hold voting rights within the jurisdiction of the school that they attend. The law called “The Student’s Decree” is a call across the state to bring about enfranchisement for all full-time students who qualify as Virginia residents. The Student’s Decree recognizes the importance of the student’s vote, and how hard it is for students to make it to their hometowns in order to take part in the Election Day festivities. With the passage of this law, the SGA will recommend students be granted voting rights in the city in which they attend school, which could potentially increase student voter turnout.

Another important event that is occurring in Senate is the discussion of an act that will make the SGA more understandable to students on campus. As the SGA machine is a very complex and complicated one, it is easy to get lost in the woodwork; this can lead to confusion, then exasperation, and perhaps even abandonment of the organization entirely. With the acceptance of what is tentatively titled “The Simpler SGA Act,” the goal is to reduce the confusion and make the SGA more transparent and straightforward, hopefully attracting more VCU students. SGA is in the process of undergoing some major transitions, and with any luck, The Simpler SGA Act will help to make the adjustment process run more smoothly.