Rey Ramos, associate vice president for Student Success, speaks about the construction of an office for Pre-Professional Development during the Feb. 24 Student Government Association meeting on the Edinburg campus. AURORA ACEVEDO/THE RIDER PHOTOS
The Student Government Association has appointed Gregorio Zúñiga, a music freshman, as the first senator for the College of Fine Arts for the spring semester.
Zúñiga spoke before the senate’s vote on his appointment during the Feb. 24 meeting.
“I feel like the fine arts are very underrepresented, and we should really represent ourselves, really go out and try to make a change we want to see in the world,” he said. “I feel that we should really go towards making our situation better since there’s a lack of funding … for the [College] of Fine Arts.”
Zúñiga said he wants to show that it is possible to voice one’s opinion and make other people’s situation better.
“If I become senator, I will not just be representing myself, I will be representing my colleagues who are also in need of help and … representation,” he added.
SGA President Jonathan Dominguez administered the oath of office to Melanie Gutierrez, who became the new chief justice during the Feb. 10 senate meeting.
Gutierrez then administered the oath of office to Alfonso Delgado and MD Mozadded Hossen, who were appointed senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship and senator for the Graduate College, respectively, during the Feb. 10 senate meeting.
Kimberly Escalante, vice president for Internal Affairs, presented the president’s report and said the results of the library survey that was conducted last semester are posted on the SGA’s social media.
Escalante said the team has finished making its questions for the IT Department survey and the questions would be sent at the end that day.
Jose Herrera, vice president for External Affairs, spoke about recent interviews for a new provost.
“In a sense, we just have our vice president [for Internal Affairs] covering the position,” Herrera said. “So, we are going to be doing these interviews since we were invited by the Office of Provost and, hopefully, after reviewing the candidates, we can finally get that position.”
Dominguez provided a reminder that student travel fund applications are closed for the semester. Students can still apply for travel funds for events taking place in June and July.
During the adviser’s report, Program Coordinator Kourtnie Hernandez announced that seven interns will join the SGA’s First Year Internship program this semester. As of Feb. 24, the SGA had 12 applications for its general elections.
Hernandez also announced that Academy Award-winning actress and activist Marlee Matlin will be featured in the Distinguished Speaker Series at 7:30 p.m. March 22 in the Texas Southmost College Performing Arts Center in Brownsville. Students can submit potential questions for her through a V Link form.
Juana Jimenez, SGA senate secretary, provided the Academic Affairs Standing Committee report on behalf of Chair Kassandra Garcia. Jimenez announced that Meet the Deans, an event during which students can interact with their college dean, will take place from noon to 1 p.m. March 22 in the Student Union on the Brownsville campus and at the same time March 28 in the University Ballroom on the Edinburg campus.
