CLIMATE CHECK
First-year Senator Nellie Clark updated SGA on her plan to meet with Brandi Jones, vice president for people, culture and community, to increase involvement with the San Antonio community. Junior Senator Sabrina Cinque suggested that communication between the student body and Residential Life should be altered to include a senator committee.
President Joy Areola also asked that a senator address student concerns surrounding the fees for renting vans implemented in the middle of the semester. Senior Senator Blaine Martin agreed to get information from Facilities Services and speak with Outdoor Recreation (OREC) about grievances.
President Areola also confirmed with Dean of Students and SGA Adviser Jessica Edonick that a student was interested in an election listening circle for women and could pursue that idea with her.
STAFF CHATS
SGA conducted two staff chats, one with Health Services and Wellness Services and another with the university archivist.
Marlaina Widmann, assistant director of Wellness Services, and Marcy Youngdahl, director of Integrated Counseling and Health Services, presented a detailed explanation of Health Services and Wellness Services, including where they were located, what they provided and an overview of the changes the department has implemented since 2021, including what last year’s $100,000 Mental Health Initiative has funded.
The initiative provided salaries for peer health educator salaries and the first year of employment for Kat Walz, Wellness programming coordinator; supported MANUAL, an app for men’s mental health; and aided in events for mental health over the past two years.
The pair then took questions, clarifying where they received their data for department and MANUAL surveys, the Narcan distribution system process and successful methods of student engagement.
Trinity University Archivist Abra Schnur then provided information about the archives. She explained that the archives team aims to make the archives findable, accessible and documentable. The archives hold different parts of Trinity’s history, and though student life appears in things like campus publications, the archives have historically focused on the administration.
Schnur then outlined what the University Archives seek, like constitutions, bylaws and handbooks, and the process of archiving them. She encouraged SGA to archive their current bylaws, minutes and constitution and aims to increase student engagement.
Schnur addressed questions from SGA, including who frequented the reading room and how Trinitonian articles are saved.
Senator Cinque asked to know Trinity’s craziest tradition, and though Schnur did not have an answer, she disclosed that a previous professor had found two unlabeled portraits within the walls of the Waxahachie campus and gifted them to the archives.
OFFICER REPORTS
Dean Edonick requested that senators sign up to meet with three finalists for the associate dean of students position. President Areola then reminded senators of their attendance expectations, and Chief of Staff Harrison Tinker clarified that SGA will soon send out the new feedback form, “Make it a Reality,” to the student body.
In the absence of DEI Chair Trinity Hatchett, Junior Senator Alex Brown updated President Areola on tabling for the form. President Areola encouraged SGA to show up to Rotaract’s “Will there be peace” event and SASA’s Diwali on behalf of DEI Chair Hatchett.
Collaborations Chair Dawson Wolff then reminded senators that attendance at the Trini-tailgate is required.
