The Student Government Association (SGA) held their third meeting of the semester last Friday where they voted and appointed two new senators.
Enrique Alverez was appointed to be senator at large for the Brownsville campus.
Victor Borrego III, an economics and political science major, was appointed senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship and said he is excited about it.
“I’m very eager to start working, finish the plans and the ideas that [Yaw] Sam [senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship] has installed already,” Borrego told The Rider. “I believe that if we implement new ideas without finishing the prior ones, we won’t get anywhere.”
Sam, who will graduate in May, said he is excited about Borrego’s appointment since he has been the only senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship on the Edinburg campus for a long time.
“I think having extra help is very beneficial, especially with the fact that he’s very passionate about student involvement, and … just trying to help the student body,” Sam told The Rider.
Sam said they have already had several discussions about things they want to see improve in their college.
“We are going to be working closely with the dean on some initiatives that we have in mind,” he said. “We’re looking to have, like, a successful, … short time working together.”
Borrego wants to embrace more financial literacy for his UTRGV peers.
“To teach our students, not only in our college, but as well as the university as a whole, to be better managed with their financial needs … would be beneficial,” he said.
Borrego encourages UTRGV students to feel free to contact SGA if there is any problem that needs to be addressed.
“We’re not here for our own views,” he said. “We’re not here to serve ourselves, but we’re here to serve [the students] and what they need and want.”
Franklin White, a political science junior, senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Campus Life & Community Affairs Chair, is working with other SGA members to expand a program called “Pads for Pals.”
White told The Rider that this program was created in 2018 by previous SGA members to provide more feminine products on campus other than the Student Health Center.
He says they have passed out surveys to students and are working with Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE), Health Services, and the Gender and Women’s Studies Program to come up with ideas of where these feminine products could also be offered.
“So, as of right now, me and my other members … we’re meeting with the Health Advisory Committee to continue working on this product project,” White said.
He hopes students will have more access to these feminine products at a closer location instead of having to walk all the way to the Student Health Clinic.
The next SGA meeting will be held at 5 p.m. March 6 in Health Affairs West Building 2.212 on the Edinburg campus and in Music, Science and Learning Center 2.125 on the Brownsville campus.
