Students had a chance to “get a ride” around campus on golf carts rented by the Student Government Association Tuesday, as the organization launched its second Campus Invasion.
Senators and executive board members offered students free rides to class on the carts from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tables in Centennial Commons and the Snell Library Quad offered students free hot chocolate, T-shirts and white boards during their “grassroots” campaign, an effort to reach out to the student body, said SGA President Bill Durkin.
“It was a good day for hot chocolate,” Durkin said of the brisk afternoon. “It was also really nice to just get out and meet students and talk to them while driving them to class.”
SGA surveyed students who approached the tables on what they would like to see funded within the university, whether or not they use the Marino Center during its new extended hours and what they would like to see SGA do for them.
Vice President for Administration and Public Relations John Guilfoil said students were very open to SGA’s outreach.
“The theme of this whole week has been ‘What can SGA do for you?'” Guilfoil said. “Students have been very receptive. And they’re happy to have all this free stuff. Who wouldn’t be?”
Guilfoil also said this week’s Campus Invasion gave every department in SGA the chance to work together.
SGA also sent senators and e-board members “secret shopping” in different university departments such as Financial Aid, Housing Services and University Parking, said Vice President for Student Services Nicole Martino.
The “secret shopping” will analyze departments for customer service, accuracy and whether or not they “shuffle” students to other departments for assistance, Guilfoil said. The e-board will then analyze the results from each department.
Some senators called University Parking to inquire about a week-long parking pass, a service that is in place but not well known, Martino said.
Guilfoil said the information will be used to evaluate the efficiency of departments within the university.
“Students are the customers. It’s a way for us to hold the university accountable,” Guilfoil said.
Each night for the remainder of the week, Durkin said, senators and e-board members will be in residence and dining halls talking to students in order to see what they want out of student government.
“What we’re trying to do is get right to these freshmen and put a friendly face to the organization,” Durkin said. “We want to make a strong first impression, hopefully something that will stay with them throughout their stay here.”
Students all around campus took notice as SGA members carted students around.
“I thought it was a really good idea in promoting people to fill [out the] survey. Hot chocolate will always stop people when it’s freezing out,” said Hani Braish, a sophomore international bus-iness major.
Students said while SGA members are doing a good job making themselves visible to the student body, it should be a more frequent occurrence.
“It’s a good idea to get the word out because I don’t think a lot of people know what SGA does,” said Lisa Clark, a senior political science major. “I think if they want to have an impact they should have [the tables] out more frequently.”
SGA started Campus Invasion last spring and it will continue to be a bi-annual event in the fall and spring, Durkin said.
– Correspondent Amanda Carswell contributed to this report.
