July Update: Student Center Director Update and Forced Meal Plans

Hello all,

I hope that everyone is enjoying a fantastic summer. Mine has been going fairly well, and as it progresses, I continually look forward to working for you in the fall. I am writing this blog to update you briefly on perhaps analyzing both of the potential choices for the Student Center Director position in the fall. I am also going to update you on my stumbling onto one of many of the university's problematic policies--its forcing on campus students to pay for a meal plan.

So everyone knows, I am continually studying to be an effective leader from the start this year. I have reviewed further over our Constitution and Bylaws (which still have not been updated--something that the President should not have to do but is going to have to do in order to have a good copy for the start of the fall), and I see many problems to hand over to the SGA Affairs committee this year. Likewise, I am studying Robert's Rules closely as well in order to be a competent chairman. We do not need our long Senate meetings (if I have anything to say about it, they will be long because we'll be doing a lot) dragged on even longer by questions over parliamentary procedure, just as it was last year.

With that said, I hope that I am not divulging too much information when I say that the Student Center Director, whose job duties monitor the Student Center, help SAC plan activities, is in charge of the community service committee, and whose job duties signifies that he/she be SGA Advisor (which is in direct conflict with our Constitution--which gives me the ability to appoint a staff advisor) has come down to two candidates. Billy Fraley and Abe Lilly, who both have histories with Housing as RD's, have both went to Dr. Aloia from the committee's consideration. The committee to select the director interviewed 3 people, and just from the way the committee was leaning (it is Dr. Aloia's ultimate decision--he can pick any of the 3 who applied), it will come down to either one of those 2 gentlemen. I was personally impressed with both interviews. Billy was my RD in Wooddell during my first two years. He is quite competent and capable. Abe of course RD's South Tower and has had conflicts with SGA in the past. He is though, of course, a very hands on kind of guy, which the Director should be. It will be interesting to see who Dr. Aloia chooses. I feel that both will be fine in the position, although I'm sure that both will handle the management duties of the Senate in different ways, coinciding alongside Dr. Brichford, who has agreed to be our faculty advisor again. I felt that all 3 people were certainly qualified who interviewed, hence the committee's inability to choose. It has almost been a month since I served on the committee as well, so I hope that the good resumes have Dr. Aloia scratching his head as well.

Another issue I want to talk about in this short blog is the Board plan. In my attempt to economize and shorten my budget for the fall, I have been inquiring about my ability to perhaps stay on campus (with lack of rental property available) and drop a meal plan. I found out that this was not possible, even with a letter from a doctor. When I spoke to one of the people in charge, he said that the cafeteria would try to "accomodate" your food needs, even if you have a condition (I have an endocrine system condition where if I do not get enough water and nutrients of a certain kind I can dehydrate quickly and have to be hospitalized). He mentioned that the cafeteria even made baked chicken for one kid all year. Considering that the board plan costs an arm and a leg, and considering that the food we get in return for the money is less than subpar (You could almost eat at Applebee's 5 days a week for what you are paying for this), I find this policy highly outrageous. Students should not have to pay for a plan if they have cheaper, better alternatives. Instead, Aramark and Concord have practically conspired to create a food monopoly of sorts on campus, where we are all forced like little children to adopt a meal plan. This is very problematic. It's no wonder that our food does not get any better, each and every year; they know that they pretty much have us by the throat. I am sure that 98% of students who stay on campus would choose to get a meal plan if a choice was enacted, but as your President, I feel that you should have a choice and that you should not have to pay for a service that you do not want. Because of my stumbling into this issue, this will be a new initiative for us to tackle in the fall--giving on campus students a choice. You should not have to be forced to pay for something you do not want; it is your basic right to at least have that fundamental choice. This is one of many dining issues that I want to address. The Dining Committee over the past few years has been very friendly to the administrators of Dining (to the point that the Executive Board last year attempted to fire the chairman of the committee). Under my presidency, I am going to encourage VP Akeya Carter Bozman to appoint a fiery personality to chair that committee. Being exploited by College Dining has got to stop. It is time that the SGA change its philosophy to dining, or else we will be eating cardboard and drinking oil (I think Aramark food is more expensive than a crude barrel) for breakfast. If need be, I will chair the committee myself.

Until I blog again, cheers to the students. I wish you all well, and I hope that you enjoy the rest of your summer.

President Yeager