The Sinclair Community College Student Government Association’s main goal this year is to reorganize and maintain a structure for upcoming members.
“I think that structure is in place and getting stronger,” Amy Cotterman, vice president of SGA said.
The SGA leaders consist of the president, vice president, secretary and treasurer who are expected to engage and interact with the student population at Sinclair. Cotterman said, the student body of Sinclair completes the remainder of SGA.
The thought of a campus wide election for a new president, vice president, secretary and treasurer was expected to happen in 2013, Tom Roberts, SGA adviser said. But now, reorganization before that election is now the focus.
“Originally we said that we would have an election next year,” Roberts said. “Reorganizing became much larger than we anticipated, so we are slowing it down and giving ourselves maybe a two or three year phasing period.”
A campus-wide election at Sinclair will depend on how quickly the structure for the government develops.
“Our main goal is to have a Student Government that truly represents the student body at Sinclair,” Roberts said.
Cotterman said working with the American Student Government Association is key in representing the right percentage of the student body and what turnout is expected to be at the elections when they happen.
“We are engaging the support of ASGA to guide us because they are the experts in Student Government,” Cotterman said. “They work with both community colleges and four-year schools.”
Brandon Whitehorn, SGA president, reestablished student government over spring quarter 2012 when he, along with two other students, were selected to represent the Dayton campus and attend a Student Leadership conference in Boston.
“I kept hearing about this thing called SGA,” Whitehorn said. “At the time I wasn’t sure what it was and I was too embarrassed to ask.”
When he returned from the conference, Whitehorn then asked what SGA was and wondered why they did not have a Student Government at Sinclair. Chris Bridges, former senior director of Student and Academic Support Services, helped Whitehorn take Student Leadership and transform it into Student Government as it stands today.
“Student Government is not a government, it’s an opportunity for growth,” Whitehorn said. “We need fresh ideas, so if we hear something that sounds interesting we try to make that happen.”
To voice a concern, have questions answered about the elections, or to learn more about SGA you can contact their office in Building 8 Room 025 by the Student Activities Center or call 512-2509 for more information.