Student Government Association President Ingrid De La Torre says the organization will work on new initiatives, including a zero-waste campus, and other matters they have been working on with the student body.
De La Torre gave the State of the Student Body Address Sept.16 in Salón Cassia on the Brownsville campus. Throughout the address, she elaborated on several of the initiatives that SGA is taking during the Fall 2019 semester.
“When we were campaigning last school year, we talked about fixing SGA internally and how we could do that,” De La Torre told more than a dozen people gathered for the address.
Parking permits were one of the topics the SGA discussed.
De La Torre elaborated on the difference between a regular and evening permit and the advantage students have while parking after 5 p.m. She said the SGA worked with UTRGV Parking and Transportation Services to offer evening permits as a new option for students.
“This is just to kind of, like, lower the cost, especially if you are a [part-time] graduate student,” De La Torre said.
Beginning at 5 p.m., students with a Zone 1 permit, which costs $60, may park anywhere on campus, excluding handicap spaces. Those with evening permits, which cost $40, can park on campus only after 4 p.m.
De La Torre also discussed the first-year internship program, which is a plan of action to help entering freshmen get involved with the SGA by assisting with some of the day-to-day operations of the organization.
“This is a program to help first-year students succeed throughout their first year in college,” De La Torre said. “We build on soft skills and improve leadership skills within SGA. What we are doing this year is we are kind of cutting the program short. This program used to be a year long and now it is going to be a semester.”
She explained that if the program is only one semester long, then it would give more students the opportunity to take advantage of it.
The Student Government Association has also been working toward creating a zero-waste campus.
“Sustainability was something very important to our team,” De La Torre said. “One way in which SGA wants to contribute is by giving out reusable straws.”
She said the SGA met with the Office of Sustainability regarding the issue and how the organization will conduct further research on this new initiative.
The SGA president also spoke about the UTRGV Tuition Advantage program, which will start in Fall 2020. Students who are Texas residents with a family adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less will not have to pay tuition and fees if they meet the requirements.
De La Torre also reminded students of another SGA initiative, Lunch with the Deans, which will be held from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salón on the Brownsville campus and at the same time Thursday in the Ballroom on the Edinburg campus.
“This is a good opportunity to meet your deans, talk to them, ask them questions,” she said. “They’re always willing to answer and get to know you.”
Among the attendees of the address was Grecia Farias, who appeared to be happy about the new initiatives that are coming to UTRGV.
“I like what they are doing, what they are doing for the school,” Farias said. “It’s changing.”
Guest speaker Luzelma Canales, senior associate vice president for Student Success, said, “The SGA can be a great partner in really helping us increase student engagement.”
In an interview with The Rider after the address, De la Torre said, “I am very excited to be serving as student body president this year. I think with today’s announcement and all, there are so many big things coming not only for UTRGV but for the Valley as a whole, and so I am very excited to get to work with students this year.”
