SGA to relay concerns to the Board of Trustees

Lexi Riley
Staff Writer

On Wednesday, Oct. 4, the Student Government Association (SGA) held a student planning meeting in preparation for the upcoming Student Development Meeting with the Board of Trustees.

“This meeting gives student groups an opportunity to talk about what they think the Board needs to know,” said Jordan Ouellette ’18, SGA’s vice president.

At the meeting with the Board of Trustees, different groups and clubs on campus will present the positives and negatives they have observed since the last meeting with the Board. They will each have five to 10 minutes to share their thoughts and what they hope will change on campus with help and support from the board. The meeting with the SGA saw groups including the Black Students Association, k(no)w, Greek Life, Wooster Volunteer Network, Greenhouse and Campus Council.

“We host this meeting every semester. We specifically work with the student development committee of [the] Board of Trustees. This meeting allows the Board to know and understand and ask questions about the things that are happening on campus. It gives the student perspective,” said SGA President Maggie Sestito ’18.

Overall, the groups shared many positive changes they have seen on campus in the past semester, but each group also expressed desire for more change. The Black Students Association, for example, hoped that the College would continue to diversify the faculty and institute a required cultural training for students and faculty. They also shared their dislike of the random room searches and overall law enforcement presence on campus and suggested that the policy needs revising.

Next, k(no)w shared their gratitude for the improved relations brought about by the new Title IX Coordinator. K(no)w also encouraged the College to hire a full-time, specially trained Title IX deputy and investigator who can devote all of his or her time to reports of sexual assault.

The Wooster Volunteer Network then expressed their gratitude for the new Director of Civic and Social Responsibility Nate Addington. However, they still described issues with funding and hope to receive continued support from the Board.

Greenhouse then spoke on their current work with dining services to revamp and design new mugs, in addition to their worm compost pilot project, which they seek to expand. Greenhouse plans to request more assistance for a long term sustainability plan and for additional institutional support.

Finally, Campus Council discussed the searches and confiscation of private property on campus and their belief that the policy needs revising. The group would like to see restrictions put on security’s ability to search students’ spaces and confiscate their property.

Sestito and Oulette ’18 are hopeful for the meeting with the Board of Trustees and the coming changes.

“The Board is extremely receptive. However, the things discussed during these meetings are pretty big, so we don’t always see immediate action. The Board is an incredible group of individuals who are beyond passionate and devoted to making sure the Wooster experience is one of the best experiences possible,” said Sestito.

Trustees will be on campus between Oct. 26 and 28 for the upcoming meeting.