SGA and SAB Discusses Spring Fling and SGA Elections

Editor-in-Chief

 
   The Student Government Association and Student Activities Board recently convened March 25 to discuss the plans for Spring Fling and the upcoming SGA elections.

Photo by Eric Bell

Meeting - (clockwise from left) Junior John Fryer (wearing hat), junior Michael Thomas, Student Activities Director Lindsey Kight, junior Jonathan Greenlee, junior Katherine Shelby, junior Brittany Pickett, first-year Matt O'Whene, senior Jason Rana and senior Jeff McDonald discuss upcoming plans for April.  The group discussed Spring Fling and SGA elections among other things.

   Spring Fling, an annual event hosted by SGA and SAB, will take place April 7-10.  Starting with a NASCAR simulator Monday, April 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the John F. Gibson University Center.

   Later Monday evening, students can enjoy an outdoor viewing of “Evan Almighty” at 7 p.m. in the quad (the open area between the Fred J. Taylor Library, the Memorial Classroom Building and Horsfall Hall). In case of bad weather, the movie will take place in the Green Room of the U.C.

   Tuesday, April 8 students can participate in the rock wall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the quad-bungee jump from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. outside of the U.C.  The Army National Guard will provide the rock climbing wall.  Nationally-known hypnotist Michael C. Anthony will perform in the Green Room at 7 p.m. Anthony performed at UAM in the fall of 2006 for Parent Family Appreciation Day.

   Students can race motorized bathtubs Wednesday, April 9. The bathtub races will take place outside the U.C. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The group will host another outdoor movie showing of “Major Payne” at 7 p.m. in the quad weather permitting.

   SGA and SAB will team up with Aramark and the Missionary Baptist Student Fellowship on the final day of Spring Fling for the annual Crawfish Boil, Thursday, April 10 at 5:30 p.m. by the sand volleyball courts and Maxwell Hall.

   Aramark will provide the trimmings and sides, and SAB and the MBSF will provide the crawfish. Members of the MBSF will cook the crawfish, as well as perform live music. SAB will also provide T-shirts, which students can purchase at the event.

   This year, the groups will initiate the first annual sand volleyball tournament called the Crawfish Cup, which will take place at the sand volleyball courts at 3 p.m. Thursday.

   University-recognized groups and organizations as well as individual student groups can compete in the event. The winning group of the tournament will receive the Crawfish Cup for one year. The following year, the group must pass down the cup to the next winner.

   Director of Student Programs and Activities Lindsey Kight will announce the rules and registration at least one week before the event. The event will need volunteers to referee.

   All events for Spring Fling are open and free for all current students.

   The group also discussed the upcoming SGA elections. Students can file for office beginning Monday, March 31 at 8 a.m. Anyone interested in running for an SGA office must pick up a packet from Kight’s office in the U.C. All packets are due to Kight’s office April 11.

   Campaigning will begin April 14. Due to problems in last year’s elections, the group implemented new campaigning rules concerning popular online communities, such as Facebook and MySpace.

   Using the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville student government’s bylaws as a reference, the university added a rule that no candidate can campaign on online forums or communities before the official campaign date. According to the SGA Constitution, “campaigning is defined as any method of actively soliciting votes such as making speeches and distributing literature, fliers, cards, posters or other campaign paraphernalia.”

   According to Kight, this includes any group, post or any other form of communication seen by the masses that promotes a candidate. Kight said, several universities have yet to incorporate bylaws concerning this problem because these types of sites are still relatively knew.

   “We are taking the necessary steps to correct that problem,” Kight said.

   If any candidate violates that rule, the university will consider it a campaign violation, and offenders will face the same consequences as other campaign violations.

   In addition to the topics of discussion, the Phi Lambda Chi Fraternity requested funding to initiate an annual charity event from SGA and SAB. The fraternity presented its plans for the charity softball tournament scheduled for April 26.

   The Phi Lambs would like to purchase equipment (helmets, gloves, bats and balls) for teams that cannot provide their own equipment. The fraternity raised a large portion of its funds from local businesses and continues to seek more sponsors from the community.

   The fraternity requested additional funding from SGA and SAB to provide the starter-funds for equipment. After the first annual tournament, the fraternity will only have to purchase replacements lost or broken equipment.

   The fraternity’s budget for the event totals $2,000. The group voted 3-1 to fund up to $1,000 or the difference of donated proceeds to reach the $2,000 marker. The fraternity will open the tournament to the campus community as well as local communities. The tournament will benefit the Phi Lamb philanthropy St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

   SGA and SAB also announced the Midnight Breakfast will take place May 1. The event, which will take place the first day of finals, gives students a chance to wind down before final exams and the opportunity to win door prizes.

   The Student Government Association and Student Activities Board meet every other Tuesday at 12:40 p.m. in the U.C. Caucus Room. The next scheduled meeting is April 8. All students are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Kight at 460-1396 or kight@uamont.edu.

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