President's Corner: Thanks For a Great Year

Incredible. That's the only way to describe the last year of my life.

It seems like just yesterday that I was elected with 58% of the vote to become the next Student Body President.  Now here I am one year later with only one week left as President and am moving on to being the next VSC Student Trustee.  I always joke with people that if someone told me during my freshman year that I would do all these different things I would have never believed it.  Thank you to everyone for the support, it has meant the world to me.   I'm more excited than ever to see what the future holds.

With that said, I haven't abandoned my work as SGA President just yet.  At the final SGA meeting of the year we approved a comprehensive strategic plan to help guide SGA affairs for the next 3 years.  The plan lays out six areas in which we will focus on improving the life of LSC students.  Those six areas are: 1. Student Involvement and Leadership 2. Support Persistence to graduation 3. Engagement with the Northeast Kingdom 4. Provide transportation options 5. Green initiative 6.  Foster positive, collaborative relationships.   

A few of the highlights of the plan include developing a relationship between student-athletes and the SGA.  To do this, we as an SGA have proposed a change to the constitution, creating a Student Athlete Advisory Committee seat in the SGA executive cabinet.    We plan to install an SGA suggestion box in the student center so busy students may submit feedback about anything they want to see changed on campus. 

The plan also calls for the consideration of several SGA leadership scholarships for any member of the student body to apply for.  Our goal to provide transportation options includes looking at a safe ride program and shuttle for students.  The shuttle idea is actually up for a student body wide vote this week, and is happening concurrently with the SGA constitutional changes vote.

The shuttle proposed right now would cost up to $30,000 out of the SGA general fund (which currently has about $55,000 available in it).  Unlike the vans the college currently has, this shuttle would be dedicated solely for student use.  Students could book it to go to Burke for the day, go on a trip to Burlington, or go to see a popular movie off campus, for example. 

Other points in the plan include continuing the green initiative by supporting the green residence hall idea on campus and educating the student body about the importance of sustainability.  The final goal in the plan ties together all other goals.  Our hope is to develop positive, collaborative relationships with all campus groups in order to seek the best outcome for our students.  The full plan can be seen on the Lyndon SGA facebook page now. 

I would also like to wish congratulations and best of luck to all of the graduating seniors.  Many of you were the first students I met here my freshman year and it has been awesome getting to know you.  I particularly would like to thank John Kleinhans for his leadership and mentorship for me over the last couple of years.  Even though we don't agree on much politically, I'm sure you are headed big places in the future.