SGA gears up new initiatives for spring semester

Mercer’s Student Government Association is kicking off the new year and semester with initiatives and programs designed to help the student body.

Senior Aaron Scherf, Vice President of SGA, explained that this semester will be focused on “mental health and safety, cultural and diversity understanding, and leadership development.”

The Minority Affairs and Community Engagement offices are working with SGA to create “events that unite students with community members knowledgeable on issues like police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement, immigration policy and Native American rights,” Scherf said.

In addition, the Community Engagement office will coordinate with Career Services to develop a new internship matching system to connect Mercer students with relevant work experience in the Macon area.

“We’re focusing on what the students want this semester,” said Freshman Senator Adam Penland.

Last semester, he worked with Aramark to create new dining options for the meal swipe at Chick-fil-A.

This semester, he’s working towards making later dining options available and potentially recruiting new eating options for campus and Mercer Village. Penland noticed a need for lengthened dining hours after conversations with classmates.

SGA has meetings every Monday night at 6 p.m. in the Connell Student Center conference room 2, and students are always welcome to observe. There is time allotted at the end of each meeting for anyone to speak to SGA members about their concerns or suggestions.

Penland said he urges students to keep updated on their class Facebook pages and to get involved with SGA’s blackboard events and weekly meetings.

Students can send general comments or give SGA feedback by contacting the organization at Merceruniversitysga@gmail.com.