New SGC-BBC holds first meeting, but still recruiting

Alexi C. Cardona/Staff Writer

The Biscayne Bay Campus’ new Student Government Council vowed to continue campaigning for a second road to access the university and work toward better meeting the needs of students at BBC in its first senate meeting of the summer.

Of the three options available for a second access road to BBC—Northeast 163 Street, Northeast 143rd Street and Northeast 135th Street—the most viable option is Northeast 135th Street.

Over the next two years, BBC will see construction of new dorms, the Royal Caribbean Ltd. facility, a building for MAST Academy students and possibly a wildlife center and science research museum.

Jazmin Felix, SGC-BBC’s president, hopes to see construction on a second road start within the next year to help ease the increase of traffic and activity BBC will experience.

When first elected in April, Felix told Student Media her top priority is making BBC a more student-centered and unified campus.

To do this, SGC-BBC will form the Inter-Council Coalition, a partnership between BBC’s major student organizations, among them the Student Programming Council, the Black Student Union and the Student Organizations Council, to address student needs and concerns.

“The most direct link to students is the organizations they join. To better assess their needs, that’s where we’ll go through,” said Felix.

The council also wants to work toward improving the major maps and getting more general advisors for undergraduates. Felix hopes this will help increase the university’s graduation rate.

SGC-BBC is still recruiting students to fill positions within the senate and cabinet. Among the positions available are chief of staff, press secretary, special events coordinator and director of lectures. These positions fall within the executive cabinet of SGC.

Senators are needed to represent the schools of hospitality management, journalism and nursing and health sciences.

A speaker of the senate has not been elected and three senators were absent from the first meeting.

Until all positions within the senate are filled and two-thirds of the senators are present, formal meetings cannot be conducted and legislation cannot be voted on or discussed.

-bbc@fiusm.com