CUW students, have you ever taken a good hard look at the bill you receive in the mail at the start of each semester? If you have, you may have noticed a $40 charge itemized as “Activity Fee.” Before you chuck your computer against the wall, red in the face over another expense tagged onto the price of college, let me reassure you that those 40 dollars are money well spent. Have you ever heard of CUW’s Student Government Association (SGA)? The odds are…you haven’t. Here are five insights into what SGA is doing for you!
- We’re funding 43 clubs, organizations, and recreational sports on campus.
Do you think you read that number wrong? Well—you didn’t! We have clubs ranging from Chemistry Club to Falcon Fishermen, Concordia Against Cancer to CUW Ultimate Frisbee, and the number is growing all the time. As a student, you would be hard pressed to find a group that does not meet your interests. Each of these groups is open to any and all students, and they are here to enhance your CUW experience through events, service activities, trips, and much more! If you are curious as to the clubs and organizations that are offered, take a look on the CU App or click here.
- We’re investing in CUW’s infrastructure.
Part of SGA’s mission is to represent the student body by making worthwhile investments in CUW’s current and future building and grounds. Just last year we purchased brand new furniture, televisions, and gaming tables in order to spruce up the lounges in the residence halls. We’re also chipping in on the funding for The Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center, which will be home for the Batterman School of Business. Looking to the future, SGA is investing in a new sound system for the Albrecht Terrace Room in order to make it a more user-friendly space for student groups like Haven. We hope to make CUW’s infrastructure not just aesthetically pleasing but a reflection of the student’s needs and wants.
- We provide forums to voice your concerns.
We know that students have concerns as well as suggestions. SGA realizes that it cannot have its finger on the pulse of the entire student body, so we provide formal outlets for students to voice those concerns. These come in two forms—presidential forums and student group forums. Presidential forums provide access directly to CUW’s administrators, even to the likes of President Ferry himself! So if you have questions that can only be answered by a university VP, this is the place for you. SGA has also started hosting student group forums, the first of which was hosted during the 2017-2018 spring semester. It is at the student group forum where students can confidently ask questions of SGA as well as the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and Campus Ministry Leadership Team (CMLT). SGA-hosted student group and presidential forums are a great way to make your voice heard on campus.
- We have a multitude of Senators representing you.
Likely to your surprise, SGA has four types of Senators—Resident, Commuter, Academic, and Organization. It is our goal that every student on campus is represented and that your voice is heard. Our Resident Senators are here to address the needs of our on-campus students, whatever those may be. We haven’t forgotten about our commuter students either—there is a Senator representing you in the Senate. We realize that students also need representation in their academic endeavors as well, and our Academic Senators are committed to making sure your education is being delivered optimally. Finally, all of the clubs on campus need representation to ensure that extra-curricular activities are feeding into a positive and productive student experience; our Organization Senators are here for you!
- We are students just like you.
Last spring, we elected a brand new executive board. They’re pictured above (from left):
- Chief Organization Officer—Karl Berg
- Chief Academic Officer—Michelle Wolf
- Chief Financial Officer—Noah Voss
- President—Skylar Petrik
- Vice President—Faith Stults
- Chief Student Officer—Seth Mejerus
- Chief Administration Officer—Emma Steinbrecker
In addition to the executive board members, we’ll have upwards of 30 SGA Senators whose purpose will be to make sure the entire student body of Concordia is heard and represented. With so many involved, you can find SGA members just about anywhere you turn on campus. You have probably seen them in the classroom, on the court, or in the pep band. In all likelihood you have sat with an SGA member in the Caf or in chapel. We are dedicated to making your CUW experience the absolute best it can be, and we have members involved in almost everything on campus to ensure that this happens. So the next time you have a concern or suggestion, no matter how small, find an SGA member because there is probably one close by. In the meantime, we will keep our ears to the ground and make sure you have a reliable and honest voice on campus.
These five things just scratch the surface, so when you receive your bill in the mail this upcoming fall and see the $40 Activity Fee charge, realize that it is money well-spent. There is no need for frustration because SGA is a group of students just like you seeking common concerns and solutions for the purpose of achieving an uncommon goal—service to Christ in the Church and world. Even better than entrusting your Activity Fee with one of your peers, get involved yourself. We are always accepting applications for new Senators, and we are best reached at sga@cuw.edu. Who knows, the voice students are most looking for may just be yours.
—Skylar Petrik is a junior finance major and the current SGA president. Following his studies at Concordia, he plans to pursue a career in the aviation industry.
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