The Student Government Association inaugurated 26 new executives, directors and senators in a ceremony Sunday evening.
Dozens of old and new SGA members gathered with family members in the Auburn House Pavilion for dinner, an awards presentation and induction. President-elect Mark Schlosser recognized the organization’s success this year, while challenging his Tiger Pride party members to raise the bar even higher.
“This administration has taken the SGA to a whole new level,” Schlosser said. “However, there are still new heights that need to be soared to.”
Schlosser’s inaugural address repeated a campaign promise to “put the Tiger back in Towson.”
“There are many students who are complacent about where Towson is today, and think there is nothing we can do about many of the issues which we [are] confronted with on a daily basis,” Schlosser said. “That brings to mind a quote from Robert F. Kennedy: ‘There are those who look at things the way they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not.’ Those are the exact thoughts that echo in my mind. There is nothing we can not accomplish.”
Outgoing president Bobbie O’Connell listed a dozen SGA successes during her year in review speech. She said this school year, the SGA created office space for 13 student organizations, lobbied for a consistent plus/minus grading policy, rewrote the finance policy, increased the student activity fee, established four committees, expanded library hours, revised the sports club policy and welcomed 17 new clubs. She noted the SGA passed 25 resolutions throughout the year.
“As someone who has been in the SGA for four years, that is out of control miraculous,” O’Connell said. “Usually five or six [get passed].”
President Robert Caret said he appreciated the SGA’s efforts to strengthen student-administration ties.
“I wish the new administration all of the energy, luck and cooperation they will need…to do the job well,” Caret said.
Dan Ashlock, director for student activities, said the SGA’s decisions have positioned the group for future success. He noted that raising the student activity fee to $76 last fall will help the SGA “better meet the fiscal demands placed on it,” and changing the SGA meeting time to Tuesday will let the group work “hand in hand with the University Senate.”
Assistant director for student activities Jason Heiserman summarized the year with a play on words.
“They have really put the government back in the SGA,” Heiserman said.
The SGA executives honored several people with awards. Darcy Accardi was named Outstanding Senator and Benny Feehley was named Outstanding Director. Heiserman and Ashlock were also honored for their support of the SGA.
O’Connell presented Towson senior vice president and chief fiscal officer David Harnage with the Administrator of the Year award.
Harnage said he was shocked and humbled by the honor.
“Towson is probably the best place I’ve ever worked at,” Harnage said. “And one of the reasons is because of you, the students. I’ve never seen a group of students quite like you.”
O’Connell said Harnage’s wisdom was invaluable many times, citing the SGA’s success in increasing the student activity fee as one example.
“It largely happened because he listened to me and told me how to make it happen,” O’Connell said.
One message expressed several times during the event was that many of the SGA’s accomplishments were a team effort. Outgoing vice president Kristin Collier wiped a tear from her eye as she thanked her colleagues for their efforts.
“None of what we accomplished together would have been possible without each and every one of you,” she said.
The SGA officially changes hands at noon on Monday, May 10. Some preparations are already underway, though.
At the April 26 SGA meeting, the group’s constitution was revised to incorporate staff changes for next year’s administration. The positions of chief of staff and director of student life were eliminated, and the positions of director of public affairs and director of athletic affairs were added.
Schlosser met with Caret on Tuesday to discuss priorities for next school year. Schlosser plans to work on the SGA platform and meet with other administrators throughout the summer.
O’Connell expressed pride in her administration’s accomplishments and said she thought a solid foundation was set for next year.
“I’ve been in SGA for so long…and I have never been prouder to work with a group of students as I have been this year,” she said. “I hope next year’s administration is able to continue on what we started and build on it.”
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