Suffolk University’s Student Government Association biannual concert is officially sold out according to SGA President Charlie Reyna-Demes. With more than 1,000 attendees expected, the biannual event will take place Thursday, Oct. 23.
SGA reminds concertgoers to bring both their Suffolk ID and a form of government-issued identification, such as a driver’s license or passport. Guests who are not Suffolk students must be accompanied by a Suffolk community member.
Reyna-Demes made a statement addressing the recent wave of firing at Suffolk.
“But even with the effect on students, the real thing that we need to highlight is these are peoples’ lives, they’ve lost careers and you know, this wave of firing hit them like a rock,” said Reyna-Demes. “It is very sad and I mean, you saw it over the summer and this is not something that…we should just brush off easily.”
SGA Treasurer Frank Ezhan said he plans to provide a more detailed breakdown of the Finance Committee’s decisions, calling the effort “Frank’s Era of Transparency,” which the senate enjoyed.
“I will, from this moment on, be giving a brief breakdown of why FinCom either accepted, adjusted or denied a club’s initial request,” said Ezhan. “I owe it to you guys to provide a clear explanation on why we made our choices.”
Ezhan emphasized that the committee will not allocate funds for club merchandise and reminded attendees that SGA does not provide budgets for performing arts groups. He said that the funding comes from the administrative level which is an issue SGA is determined to address and improve.
The meeting included a longer open forum than usual, allowing the senate to discuss several concerns gathered from SGA’s first Senator Sit-Down. The event gives students, faculty and staff an opportunity to directly connect with SGA and share their concerns with members of the senate. Senator Sit-Downs will be held every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Samia dining hall.
Class of 2029 Sen. Brooke Alarie said a “freshman version” of the Senator Sit-Down will also take place in the Smith dining hall. She suggested expanding the event to all dining halls to reach more students and collect broader feedback.
General member-at-large Julianna Da Luz noted these concerns to provide them to the committee chairs to inspire potential resolutions. One issue raised involved the International Students Services Office.
“They’re using outdated forms…they’re not communicating with registration services, so there’s issues with graduation [dates], visas and they’re just not talking to the student,” said Da Luz.
Other issues involved the absence of water fountains in the One Court residence hall, leaks in the Ridgeway gym and lack of support from the STEM department.
General members Sophia Toumi and Thalia Jean-Baptiste proposed creating a survey to gather students’ experiences with discrimination in campus clubs. They noted that clubs are often disbanded as a first response to issues, rather than addressing the root causes. The members plan to work with the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement to develop and distribute the survey.
Class of 2027 Sen. Matthew Williams announced that Suffolk’s gamers charity night for Suffolk CARES will be held Thursday, Nov. 6, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Stoll Room on the fourth floor of the Sawyer Building. The entry fee is $5, which includes a raffle ticket. All proceeds will benefit Suffolk CARES, and free food will be provided. The games will include Smash bros, Blackjack, Wii Sports Resort, Flappy Bird and a few board games according to Williams.
Class of 2027 Sen. Bella Wawrzyniak announced Suffolk’s Athletics Day of Giving, which will take place Oct. 22 and 23. The event gives the community an opportunity to donate to Suffolk’s athletic programs. Wawrzyniak noted that many of the programs rely on fundraising and donations for their funding.
SGA Secretary Stephanie Lima recognized the class of 2028 Sen. Tighe Hosman for this week’s P.I.L.L.A.R award. It recognizes senators who meet the six pillars which are passion, integrity, leadership, legacy, activism and “Rambition.”
