Azusa Pacific University’s Student Government Association is approaching this year hoping to be an ear for the students’ concerns and to maintain the longevity of student government.
Max Walden, senior and SGA president, aims to become a personal advocate for each student.
“I want to express our availability to all of the students,” he said.
SGA has already started implementing opportunities to address the university’s diversity theme through a new avenue called mosaic caucus. The Mosaic Caucus is an event that gathers David Bixby, acting president and Terry Franson, the dean of students along with members of SGA and leaders of ethnic clubs such as Black Student Association, Asian Pacific American Student Organization, Latin American Student Association and Pacific Islanders Organization.
Mosaic Caucus will happen at least twice a semester and is “a systemic approach of how we are going to talk about this,” according to Walden.
SGA hopes to also hear the students’ questions and concerns regarding the university in order to make positive changes when concerns arise. They also hope to see the office reach its full potential and stay consistent for future success. The legacy of SGA’s structure is something that both the SGA president and vice president expect and want to see this upcoming school year.
Each of the representatives in SGA is there on behalf of the students; they want every student to feel comfortable dropping by the office to talk about what they like or dislike about APU and how SGA can create a more positive experience for students. However, the office is attempting to not only have an open-door policy but are hoping to also step outside of the office and connect to students, according to Walden.
The SGA office is responsible for the popular event, ‘The Table,’ an open invitation for students to gather on Cougar Walk for a family style meal with professors, fellow students and other APU staff. The purpose of ‘The Table’ is to help students feel more connected with the community and meet other students and faculty. ‘The Table’ will commence sometime before Thanksgiving Break, with more details to follow.
Another event that SGA sponsors is the Student Summit. The goal of the Student Summit according to Jacova Snyder, senior and SGA vice-president, is to educate attendees about what is going on at APU.
The summit will help students better understand what is happening around them and allow them to ask any questions that they might have on the selected topic. Last year, the summit discussed the school’s use of tuition and how it was used to better education.
Walden explains how SGA is both a reactive and proactive group that advocates for students and tries to get answers that they “deserve.”
“Whether or not students are asking for it we are behind the scenes pushing for lower tuition, more student space on campus, better facilities for people of different, diverse backgrounds, those are constantly issues,” Walden said.
Walden has the opportunity to meet with the university’s upper administration weekly and gets the ear of those who have the ability to help make changes. Even with this communication, SGA still emphasizes the need for students to relay information to them in order to improve APU in whatever way they can and assist in any problems that students may have.
Walden explained how conversations that were started last year will be continued into this year regarding topics such as ethnic diversity, finances and better understanding the school’s stance on gender identity and the constant issue of finances.
Since these APU leaders are also students, they understand the problems that other students face. “We feel and experience the same as students,” Snyder said.
Dana King, a junior and creative commissioner for SGA, understands that although they “can’t always accomplish everything,” he wants to “exceed expectations” while working on SGA. This school year, King’s plan is to “do whatever is assigned to the best of my abilities.”
For more information regarding SGA, visit their recently launched website, apusga.org.