The UTRGV Student Government Association (SGA) will continue to meet virtually to reach their goals during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement sent to Vaquero Radio last Thursday, SGA President Victoria Lozano said the primary goal this semester is providing students with transparency and communication
SGA Vice President for Brownsville Carlo Flores-Carlson said the administration has met with departments such as IT to bring resources to students.
“We’ve had meetings with IT where we expressed ‘could we add more programs to our virtual labs which you can log in online and utilize some of the programs that would be in a computer lab at one of our campuses,’” Flores-Carlson said.
He said it’s one way SGA has worked to help students who may not feel safe to return to campus or do not have the means to purchase software.
According to the UTRGV website, the SGA serves as the official representation of the entire student body.
Associate Dean of Students and SGA adviser, Delma Olivares said Zoom virtual meetings have become a creative solution to bringing the senate and students together.
“I really feel like Zoom has enabled us to have the same footing in an online meeting setting. So it doesn’t matter where you are, transportation is not an issue,” Olivares said.
Olivares said students have the opportunity to express their concerns at the beginning of senate meetings.
According to Olivares, senate meetings are held every two weeks and a new meeting time and day is being selected for the semester.
A goal promised in the Spring 2020 elections was for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance in buildings such as the communications radio/TV studio located on the side of the UTRGV Library on the Edinburg campus.
According to SGA Vice President for Edinburg Samantha Aleman Lopez, the promise continues to be worked on.
“I remember [VP Carlo Flores-Calrson] mentioned that one of his friends was trying to get into an interview upstairs, but he couldn’t because he had mobility issues,” Aleman Lopez said. “That’s one thing we want to try and talk with administration.”
Aleman Lopez said she wants to be an advocate for students’ voices to be heard.
Students can visit SGA’s Facebook page for current information and meeting times.
FOR VAQUERO NEWS, I’M JUSTIN ELIZALDE.
