SGA is your voice

Maytinee Kramer/ Assistant Opinion Director

Since its establishment in 1973, FIU’s Student Government Association, SGA, “has continued to strive for excellence on behalf of all Panthers.” Despite SGA existing to represent students and act in their best interests on academic, extracurricular and social issues, many students don’t know about SGA or what it is they do. As part of the FIU community, fellow Panthers should know and understand SGA because it is the bridge between students and administration.

To better represent students, FIU SGA is divided into two councils – SGC-MMC, which represents the interests of students at the Modesto Maidique Campus and the Engineering Center, and SGC-BBC, which represents the interests of students at the Biscayne Bay Campus and FIU at I-75 Center.

FIU SGA works in coherence with the idea of checks and balances, thus is divided into the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Each school year, SGA works tirelessly to expand our university’s efforts, engaging local, state, and federal officials to help accomplish goals.

In order to do so though, SGA requires the concern and participation of the FIU student body because only we can say what needs to be fixed and what can be enhanced.

Several students I spoke to had no idea what SGA was or what they do, while others felt like SGA was inactive or inefficient. As a result, students often do not care to contact their elected student officials for help, do not care to keep up with what their student government is doing, and do not care to vote in student government elections.

Panthers should care about SGA because we all attend FIU, and in the end, we are the ones that can make or break FIU.

It is because of SGA that funds are properly handled for the benefit of all students. It is because of them that the expenditure of the senate discretionary fund is observed and spent efficiently. It is because of them that there is representation of the student body.

However, it is understandable that students are not always happy with the decisions of SGA, which is why they end up not caring or giving up in participating in SGA events. Last year, FIU made approved the construction of two practice fields over the northern part of the the Nature Preserve to which the FIU SGA had agreed to contribute $500,000 towards its construction.

This left students feeling like SGA represents the interests of administration rather than the interests of students.

But why does all this matter? Your student government matters because it is what speaks to school administration on your behalf, determines action on everyday aspects of campus life.

FIU SGA provides more to college life than just classes and textbooks. SGA is a group of students representing students. They are the voice of the FIU body. Your voice, and you should use your voice. If there is an issue that concerns you, if you have any ideas to improve campus life, or if you feel passionate about something, contact your elected officials.

Just as it is the FIU SGA’s responsibility to represent us, it is our responsibility to push them to fulfill their responsibilities. And that is why we should care.

DISCLAIMER:
The opinions presented within this page do not represent the views of Panther Press Editorial Board. These views are separate from editorials and reflect individual perspectives of contributing writers and/or members of the University community.

Photo taken from Flickr.