By Jasmine Hsieh
The Scene staff
Nine students speak up for the interests of Forest Park students, just as Congress represents Americans across the country.
The new Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board took office on Aug. 25 after a campus election.
“(We navigate) through the proper venues, for lack of a better word, politics and red tape, and everything you would do in a state- or federal-level government,” said Parliamentarian Maikel Piloto.
“These are the beginning foundations, and that’s what we do.”
The board meets at 3 p.m. Wednesdays in the Campus Life office. They discuss everything from student complaints to SGA projects, as well as how to improve the overall educational process at Forest Park.
“We have to bring it to the powers that be, with the guidance of our wonderful advisers, Ms. Kim and Mr. Donivan,” Piloto said.
He was referring to SGA sponsors Kimberly Love-Austin and Donivan Foster.
Forest Park’s SGA won a Make a Difference Award at the Missouri Community College Association Conference in March for an organ donation drive in February.
The SGA also won second place in a competition among student governments at community colleges in Missouri.
“We have done a lot this year,” said President Angela Johnson.
One of the SGA’s main goals for the coming year is to show appreciation for night students and make sure they are not forgotten.
“We just did the ice-cream social (on Sept. 2), where we got a widespread ice-cream bar out there,” Johnson said. “And it turned out really nice and fun.”
SGA members also have noticed that some night students don’t have time to grab something to eat between work and classes.
“This semester, we’re working on plans, trying to provide food, more like snacks, things that the bookstore doesn’t sell, and neither does the cafeteria,” said Shaniece McCoy, 20, a nursing student who serves on an SGA task force.
Another issue being addressed by SGA is the Metro policy that prohibits students older than 23 to buy semester bus and train passes. Board members hope to see that changed.
“Twenty to 30 percent of our students rely on buying the semester pass,” Piloto said. “It has a profound impact on our students.”
Other SGA plans include starting a volunteer-tutoring program for the St. Louis public school system and holding more car washes to raise money for projects.
“We’ve got a lot of plans,” Johnson said. “It’s just going to take the whole semester to get things going.”
