The Student Government Association would like to take this opportunity to address the editorial published in last Thursday’s edition of The Huntington News. As an organization, it would be foolish of us not to recognize that there is always room for us to grow and improve. It is our mission to advocate for the student body and we are constantly brainstorming and implementing ways to do that more effectively. SGA greatly values the opinions of the student body and would like to commend the author of last week’s editorial for bringing their concerns to our attention.

With that being said, we would also like to take this opportunity to clarify a few things from last week’s editorial. Our hope is that our letter to the editor serves as a resource to you, and that you walk away with a better understanding of SGA’s role on campus and that you feel more comfortable coming to SGA with any concerns or ideas that you have.

YMCA Dormitory Project – The YMCA dormitory project is currently out of the hands of SGA and the university. The student feedback phase for the project has concluded and the design has been created. However, the building plans are currently tied up by the Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Boston Landmarks Commission. SGA will continue to coordinate with the administration to receive updates on the project so that we can report back to the student body on its progress.

Master Plan – The primary goal of the new Institutional Master Plan is to increase athletic, study and student group space, as well as the number of classrooms. The university is currently working on crafting the new plan, which will be submitted to the city of Boston by the end of the year. Student feedback for this plan is still welcome, via [email protected].

SGA’s Involvement in the Knockout Barstool Movement – After careful discussion between SGA members and the Knockout Barstool group, we felt that it was most important to move forward in a way that benefits the majority of students. With this in mind, we compiled a list of resources that are available to all members of the Northeastern community to educate them on the issue of rape and rape culture. This list can be found on our website.

How can you get in touch with us? – Attend a meeting. We have a variety of speakers who visit weekly SGA meetings, and that list of speakers is updated regularly on our website. Our meetings are open to the general student body, so please feel free to attend any of our meetings.
Share your ideas – SGA has implemented NUideas, a forum for students to submit their ideas for changes on campus. Students can vote on ideas they like, or give a “thumbs down” to ideas that they don’t like. SGA takes this feedback and works closely with administration to make your ideas happen. To share your ideas or vote on ideas proposed by your fellow students, please visit our NUideas page.

Vote – This is your student government, so make sure you’re informed about the candidates for president and executive vice president in this year’s election. Keep an eye out for information on elections, and direct any questions to [email protected].

Track SGA projects – We’re happy to announce the new Project Tracker feature on our website. You can keep track of some of the initiatives currently being worked on by SGA. If you see a project you’re interested in, you can get involved or simply provide your feedback. Check out our current projects here.

Contact us directly – Website; Email: [email protected]; Twitter: Follow @NortheasternSGA; Facebook: “Like” Northeastern Student Government Association; Office: Visit us in 332 Curry Student Center.

Ultimately, we want every student to know that SGA is here to represent you. If you see a problem on campus, let us know. If you have an idea for a new initiative, tell us. We can’t help if we don’t know what the issues are. We encourage your questions, comments and concerns, and we appreciate any feedback for how we can continue to improve communication with students.

– Kelly Dwyer is the Student Government Association’s executive director of communications. Caitlin Rogers is the assistant director of communications.