Amplify completes 3 of 16 platform points

<p>Senators discuss&nbsp;potential legislation at&nbsp;SGA&nbsp;student senate Wednesday, Sept. 5. SGA has been able to complete three out of 16 platform points. <strong>Liz Rieth, DN</strong></p>

Senators discuss potential legislation at SGA student senate Wednesday, Sept. 5. SGA has been able to complete three out of 16 platform points. Liz Rieth, DN

Amplify, Student Government Association’s (SGA) executive slate, has completed three out of 16 platform points, said SGA president Isaac Mitchell at Wednesday’s SGA senate meeting.

Amplify members, which started their term this summer, completed the points after less than a month into the semester.

However, Amplify only has proposed budget for completing the points, said SGA treasurer Jalen Jones. The budget has yet to be taken before senators for approval. 

Despite that, Mitchell said slate members have made progress on all points. 

Completed

Parking passes for expectant mothers

Last year, secretary Kyleigh Snavely began conversations with Parking Services about adding a parking pass for expectant mothers on campus.

Ball State’s Pregnant and Parenting Support Group approached SGA with the idea for the pass.

The pass was implemented by Parking Services at the start of this semester.

RELATED: Ball State adds parking passes for expectant mothers

Shuttle to football games

Mitchell said Amplify has established shuttles that run from campus to Scheumann Stadium during football games.

The shuttles run the entire game, Mitchell said and encouraged students to use them. 

The point’s assigned budget is $1,500.

Shuttle to Farmer’s Market

Last fall, as a senator, Snavely set up a shuttle to the Minnetrista Farmer’s Market during Welcome Week.

Since the start of this school year, the shuttle has run once and will run this Saturday. Students can be picked up between 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. by Studebaker East and LaFollette. 

The point’s assigned budget is $1,000.

In Progress

Raise awareness on sexual assault and alcohol abuse

Mitchell said the slate is working to raise awareness on sexual assault and alcohol abuse through educational programs. The slate would like to partner with organizations and host events to increase awareness. 

So far, the slate has meet with the Ball State Counseling Center, Mitchell said. Slate members have plans to meet with the organization Step In. Speak Up.  

Mental health awareness

Amplify members are working with the Counseling Center to determine how the two organizations can work “hand in hand” to increase student awareness, Mitchell said.

Additionally, Mitchell plans to form a committee to focus on this point with the counseling center

Extend Bracken weekend hours

Thursday, Amplify sent out a campus wide survey about extending Bracken Library’s weekend hours.

The survey already has over 700 responses, Mitchell said. He said he hopes to use the responses to gauge what the students want for library hours and propose that to the library. 

“We know that students will use [more hours], we just have to prove it [to the library],” Mitchell said. “Realistically, we will take what we can get.”

Expand Student Appreciation Day

SGA traditionally holds a student appreciation day once a year, Mitchell said. 

Because the budget has yet to be finalized, slate members are still determining how to expand the event, he said. 

More outlets for student input

Mitchell said he has several way to increase the outlets for student input. 

He plans to create a “better” social media team to engage students. Also, he said he wants to host more forums for students, such as the forum over John Schnatter in August.  

RELATED: More than 100 students, faculty and community members attend forum, share thoughts on John Schnatter, Ball State Board of Trustees

Mitchell said SGA will likely send out more email surveys to gauge student interests and opinions on a variety of topics. 

ROTC priority scheduling

Mitchell said Amplify wants to implement priority scheduling for ROTC students in order to help them get their required classes as ROTC members are required to graduate in four years. 

Mitchell said SGA senators are working legislation to take this point to the faculty council. From there, Mitchell said Amplify will work to get the faculty counsel to pass the senate’s legislation. 

Relocate trash receptacles and recycling bins

Mitchell said he wants recycling bins and trash receptacles to be side by side. To do this, he plans to put together a group to map out the receptacles and bins. 

Then, Amplify can create a proposal on how to improve their locations.

Inform students on what can be recycled

Mitchell said Amplify wants to have informational materials like posters or stickers around recycling bins to help students properly recycle.

“People are not these terrible, immoral, earth-hating people. They are just confused,” Mitchell said. “We want to have a list of what you can and can’t recycle ... the best possible list, the most accessible material for the students.”

Place hygienic bins in all residence halls

Amplify plans to implement hygienic bins, similar to those used for disposal of feminine hygiene products, in both men and women’s restrooms to increase gender inclusivity in residence halls, Mitchell said. 

“This is very important for our transgender students on campus,” Mitchell said. 

Mitchell said Amplify is working with Resident Hall Association President Kathy Berryhill to accomplish this point. 

Allow students to use preferred names

Mitchell said he wants students, specifically transgender students, to be able to have their preferred names on Health Center forms, class rolls and Blackboard.

Butler University has a program for preferred names, he said, and hopes to “mirror” that at Ball State. 

“Unfortunately we haven’t taken a lot of physical steps yet [toward the point],” Mitchell said. “We are trying to make sure we do this the right way by doing our research.”

Multicultural resource center

Last semester, this point shifted from creating a LGBTQ resource center to improving the multiculutral center.

However, over the summer, administration announced it would renovate the Multicultural Center.

RELATED: After more than 40 years, Ball State Multicultural Center slated for renovation

Mitchell said this means Amplify will work with administration to ensure the building will have student input. 

“Our concern is for the new (multicultural center) is that what we get is what we as students deserve,” Mitchell said. 

Shuttle from village to downtown

Mitchell said Amplify will look into utilizing shuttles to take students to events in downtown Muncie.

However, the slate has yet to talk with officials from Muncie regarding this. 

Provide more opportunity for service

Amplify has met with Student Voluntary Services (SVS) to look into how the slate provide more opportunity for community involvement.

Amplify is working to partner with SVS and help host Angel Tree, where student volunteers purchase Christmas presents for underprivileged children.

 Contact Liz Rieth with comments at ejrieth@bsu.edu or on Twitter @liz_rieth.

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