Student Government Association President Jonathan Dominguez said the executive team met with the Associate Vice President for Student Success Reymundo Ramos to discuss resources for students entering professional schools.
During the senateโs Oct. 21 meeting, Dominguez said he proposed the idea of a university course for studentsโ preparation on tests, such as the Medical College Admission Test and Law School Admission Test.
โWeโre also working on having workshops to prepare students to apply to those professional schools, like workshops for interviews โฆ and also workshops for how to do the application process,โ he said.
SGA Vice President of Internal Affairs Kimberly Escalante said the team also met with Campus Auxiliary Services to talk about the dining services. Escalante said a survey will be conducted to create a better experience in the dining hall for students. She said the SGA will help promote the survey through its social media.
Escalante said the team was scheduled to meet with College of Education and P-16 Integration Dean Alma D. Rodrรญguez at 9 a.m. last Wednesday to discuss college representation in the senate.
The executive team met with College of Fine Arts Dean Jeffrey Ward to also discuss college representation. Ward gave a presentation during the senate meeting about updates within the college. He spoke about the future creation of a marching band for next fall semester.
He said the band gives the university โone of many opportunitiesโ to bring not only the campuses together but also โthe whole [Rio Grande] Valley together.โ
Ward said the plan is to have students engage in the process of selecting the bandโs name and uniforms.
He said the college is starting a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee, which will provide students with a space where they can feel supported as artists.
Kristen Hallas, senator for the Graduate College, spoke on behalf of the Financial Affairs Committee and said the SGA is using a new standard for the student travel fund applications. The new amounts are $700 for students who participate or compete in an event and $400 for students who only attend an event.
Financial Affairs Chair Josiah Gonzalez, senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, said the Internal Affairs Committee approved the updated fund amounts two weeks ago. Before the change, the amount for attendees was $350 and $500 for participants for an entire trip. Gonzalez said the committee proposed the change because the old amounts were not enough for students to travel comfortably.
โIf theyโre going to Houston, New York, I mean, those arenโt Houston or New York prices,โ he said. โSo we just thought it was fair to raise those prices.โ
Julianna Castillo, chair of Campus Life and Community Affairs and senator for the College of Health Professions, said the committee is working to collaborate with other departments for a coat drive that will last for two and a half weeks starting Nov. 14.
She said the drive will be specifically to donate coats but other clothing items will also be accepted. Castillo said the coats will be donated to Mujeres Unidas in Pharr.She said the committee is still working on where the donation bins will be available for students.
Castillo also said the committee is looking to collaborate with the Student Food Pantry to extend its hours of operation. The pantryโs current hours of operation are from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday.
Academic Affairs Chair Kassandra Garcia, senator for the College of Sciences, said the committee is finishing the last touches for Meet the Deans, an SGA event in which students can interact with the dean of their respective college.
Meet the Deans will be from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Tuesday in the University Ballroom on the Edinburg campus. The event will also take place at the same time Nov. 8 in the PlainsCapital Bank El Gran Salรณn on the Brownsville campus.
