Well, Mr. McCarthy? Where is the outrage? Where is the dramatic stand against the University? Where is the demand that the University treat its students with the common respect we deserve?

Oh, I know it’s all been said before: SGA can only do so much. Maybe that’s true. Maybe the SGA is only good for the small bureaucratic victories we’ve seen from it in the past. In that case, perhaps it is time for the SGA to dissolve until a more effective body can take its place. If the SGA will not fight to represent students, then it has no right to claim its position.

Phillip brings up a good point. The SGA President and Vice President had this to say in their own editorial on Friday:

Although we wish students would have had input in the fee, the decision has been made. Davis has committed, however, to improving communication regarding these actions in the future.

Looking forward, we will work with the administration and the Board of Regents to minimize the effect we, as students, feel from the budget cuts.

Phillip followed up his letter with a post on his blog.

I have quite a few comments about her opinions, so I am going to post my responses line by line.

Creating change in a community of 34,959 students is no easy task, but it is the job of the Student Government Association to work every day towards the ideal university setting here in Athens.

Come on, “work every day towards the ideal university setting”??? How about representing students? Isn’t that what you are elected to do?

This past semester, SGA successfully advocated on behalf of students to achieve many significant improvements in campus life.

Funny.

Sometimes we, myself in particular, get so excited a change is occurring that we forget to tell everyone what role we played in the initiative.

Ha, does any one actually believe that? SGA touts everything to make themselves look important, including the accomplishments of other people and organizations.

Here are things the Student Government Association successfully advocated for last year.

As you may have noticed, beginning this fall, the University no longer will utilize Social Security numbers in the classroom due to the security risks that distribution of this sensitive information posed to students.

Now that you fixed the little problem with Social Security numbers, why don’t you fix the big problem where people might actually have their important information stolen? This is where the problem is SGA, when you have to sign on to OASIS using your Social Security number.

The Collegiate Readership Program, first implemented last fall, continues to provide national and local newspapers to all University students on a daily basis.

Make sure you tout this one some more, Ms. Bowers, since you predecessor put this program in place and you have done nothing for the program.

In order to place student safety above punitive measures in all aspects of University life, the Responsible Action Policy was implemented in May to ensure students seek medical attention for their peers without hesitation.

Umm, excuse me, when did this happen? Why haven’t you told students? This should have been a major score for students, and yet it is buried in your list of accomplishments. And why don’t you explain this policy some more. Do underagers who call for medical attention for others get no punishment, or is it the one in need of medical attention gets no punishment? You need to explain this, and then get out and tell every person on campus, so something like this doesn’t happen again.

We have advocated successfully for increased wireless access in classrooms – which can be utilized to learn about the distribution of grades in University courses by viewing the Key, which has been compiled by SGA and posted on our Web site.

Now, you say you’ve “advocated successfully for increased wireless access in classrooms”, can you tell me which classrooms have increased wireless access? I would like to know, because otherwise I don’t believe you.

As for the issue of The Key, I know you read this last week.

In a few weeks, the University will launch Ruckus, a legal media downloading program that will be accessible to all University students, free of charge.

Damn you people. Do you not know that anyone with an EDU email address can access for free anyways? Yeah, you can. So is UGA paying for this? I would hate for them to pay for something that is free for all college students already. I know this is Rodney Bennett’s pet project, but maybe someone needs to take a broader look and see if UGA should really sign an agreement with Ruckus dealing with a service that is already free to students.

We also have launched a Web site ourselves called GeorgiaStudentOpinion.com to connect all of the colleges and universities in the state.

When issues regarding HOPE scholarship, tuition and textbook prices are raised during future legislative sessions, we will be able to respond quickly in a unified manner.

Ummm, yeah, your site doesn’t really work. It requires a password to get in. Strangely enough, the username and password combination to get into the site is sga and sga. Let me tell you a little something about web lingo. When you say you launch a website, usually that means it is available to be of use to someone. But apparently nothing SGA does is of use to anyone.

With those tasks off our list, SGA still has a busy fall ahead of us. Issues on our agenda include:

• Opening the Student Learning Center 24 hours a day – which polls show is overwhelmingly supported by students – around 80 percent for those of you who like numbers.

Thank you. Any chance you can work on getting the libraries open 24/7 as well?

• Providing art classes for non-majors so all students have an opportunity to get a well-rounded education at the University.

Has anybody actually told SGA that they would like for this to happen? Just curious if this was a personal goal.

• Improving the advising process at orientation so freshmen will have the best possible start to their academic careers.

Ha, like this will actually happen.

• Posting the faculty evaluations each student completes at the end of a course online.

Won’t ever happen.

• Drafting and passing the Commitment to Academic Excellence – an agreement between students and faculty ensuring respect in the classroom is a two-way street.

What the heck is this? “Ensuring respect is a two-way street”? Some explanation please.

• Creating an interactive calendar for all student organizations, thereby making it easier to get plugged in on campus.

Oh cool! Like, we could put all the Greek events on this one calendar, and then like, we could all go to each others’ parties. Like, totally great idea.

• Expanding the on-campus venues that accept Bulldog Bucks (especially Sanford Stadium and Parking Services) and many other projects that will benefit the academic, social and cultural welfare of students here at the University.

“Many other projects that will benefit the academic, social and cultural welfare of students”. Excuse me, I just choked on my milk.

Please let us know what you think of these initiatives, what your issues are and anything on this campus that could be tweaked in order to make your stay in Athens the best time of your life.

We can’t cancel classes on Friday or change the drinking age to 18, but please let us know if you ever need anything else.

Ya know, if this are the kinda projects that students want you to work on, shouldn’t you be so inclined? I mean, you are elected to accomplish student goals. No classes on Friday!

To learn more about the issues above and others, please visit www.uga.edu/sga or join us on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in SLC room 101.

Feel free to contact Student Government Association anytime, through e-mail at www.ugasga@uga.edu or me personally at KABowers@uga.edu or by swinging by our office in Tate 169.

Remember, we’re here working for you. Make sure to let us know how you think we are doing.

- Kathryn Bowers is the president of SGA.

It is funny, usually these articles are penned by both the President and Vice President of SGA.

However, for all intensive purposes, The Key is dead.

After Associate Provost for Institutional Effectiveness Bob Boehmer crippled the online database of grade distributions in spring 2006 by removing professors’ names, there was an outcry by students to return The Key to its former self.

The Student Government Association, under then-President Jamie Peper, claimed to have struck a deal with the administration in which The Key would be returned, but under the control of SGA.

Several months later, The Key did pop up on the SGA web site, but has sat dormant now for the past year without updates.

Then, last week the former SGA webmaster Cory Watson responded to the criticism with an editorial of his own:

It takes one or two hours to get the text file to a point when it can be entered into the database. We are not allowed to post information for classes with less than 20 students in an effort to keep grades confidential, so those must be edited out. After that, the text file is uploaded to the database and it is a two to three hour ordeal to make it into a new page on The Key.

…

I am not paid hundreds of dollars per year, although I have not looked at the budget and am not aware if someone else is being paid to be the webmaster now. Mine was a one-time payment for the initial site design and setup.

It was my understanding that Cory Watson agreement with SGA was $1,000 for site design, setup, hosting, domain name, updates for a year, AND updating The Key.

So, here we are, summer 2007. And what is the status of The Key?

It is outdated, spread out over several websites, and unhelpful to students.

And what about all those campaign promises and Facebook groups about The Key? Ineffective.

He offers three main suggestions for the new SGA administration:

1. Save the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA)
2. Protect free expression on campus.
3. Make sure that UGA fully funds need-based financial aid.

In regards to Chiego’s second point, he talks about UGA’s “yellow light” rating by the nonpartisan Foundation for Individual Rights in Education.  If you’re interested, you can read more about UGA’s rating here.

The question here is that the SGA Constitution requires 10% of the students to vote in a “special election” for the SGA Constitution, before the Constitution can be approved.

So, how many students voted in the election? Well, it depends what the definition of “special election” is, Mr. Clinton.
Here are the official results of the SGA Election (referendums only):

To me, the SGA Constitution did not pass. Only 2,888 students voted, below the needed 10%. This is more like 8%.
But SGA officials contend that 3,662 students total voted ANYWHERE on the ballot, and thus, the Constitution was approved (and 3,662 is just barely 10%). Some students, it seems, voted only for candidates (probably their friends, brothers, or sisters) and didn’t bother to vote on any of the referendums.

Who knows if this is true? Only the SGA and the UGA administration, it seems. Both are refusing to supply the election results and final vote tallies to anyone who asks. The SGA website says the following:

***More accurate statistical information will soon be available. [see here]

I think this is completely wrong, and I encourage students to act. Do not let narrow-minded SGA officials try and squeeze through approval of their precious Constitution.

Click here to send an email to all members of the Elections Committee, and tell them you disagree with the new SGA Constitution being approved.

“Basically, it’s a real big circle jerk of people padding each others’ resumes.”

HA! I would challenge the R&B to print that as their quote of the week!

PS – In case you didn’t understand the term circle jerk, Wikipedia has this to say:

“The terms ‘mutual masturbation’ and ‘circle jerk’ are sometimes used as vulgar metaphors. They can refer to a situation, often in the workplace, politics or academia, where people are stroking each other’s ego without producing anything of value.”

What a fitting definition.  SGA, not producing anything of value???  No…

SGA is hosting a “Rock the Vote” campaign from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today and Thursday in Tate Plaza. Local musicians Atticus Hicks and Allison Weiss will play.

This event is an SGA run event, and as such, shouldn’t be associated with the SOS Party.

But, like usual, it seems there is a little behind-the-scenes, insider action going on.

Allison Weiss, one of the musicians performing at the “Rock the Vote”, works for the SOS Party. She is their webmaster. Nothing like a little free exposure, and maybe some album sales, for working for the SGA insiders.

You judge for youself, but this reeks of cronyism.

*Update*

To make this look even more like cronyism, Allison Weiss made a Facebook event for the “Rock the Vote” Rally (which is tomorrow, R&B wrong again). And under the description:

I’ll have CDs and shit for sale so hell yeah for that.

Crony-what?

The Red and Black calls yesterday’s multiple screw-ups “a reporter’s error.” Even if this was the fault of the reporter, it would still be interesting to see who in SGA gave this faulty information to the reporter.

The Red and Black also explains that even the headline printed yesterday (”SGA on the line, Feb. election to determine its future”) was wrong, because the elections will be held January 24th to 26th.

A letter to the editor, written by your’s truly, about the errors was printed on the Opinion’s page.

Yesterday’s article, “SGA on the line, Feb. election to determine its future,” is completely inaccurate.

I am extremely disappointed that Carolyn Crist did not bother to check the facts in the story, probably given to her by some SGA lackey.

Her article states that it would take 16,500 students voting against SGA to kick SGA off campus.

In fact, it would take two-thirds of the students voting, not two-thirds of the entire student body.

Even the first sentence of the article is incorrect; this is not the first time since 1985 that SGA could be abolished, as SGA has been abolished before.

This vote, on whether or not to disband SGA, has taken place every four years since 1987.

These blunders make it seem as if it is extremely difficult to get rid of SGA, and will cause some students to think their vote will not matter.

Everyone should remember that, while not simple, SGA can be kicked off campus.

The resolution automatically appears on the ballot every four years and requires a passing vote from two-thirds of the student body.

It’s easier said than done. The vote alone would take 16,590 students, and only about 4,000 students voted in last year’s election – a one-third decrease from the previous year.

But, this is incorrect. The SGA Constitution reads:

If more than two-thirds of the voting disagree, the Student Government Association shall be abolished. The first four-year period began Spring Quarter of 1987.

Now, bad writing aside, SGA is to be abolished if two-thirds of the students who vote in the SGA election vote ‘no’. If so, there is no specific number of votes needed to kick SGA off campus, as it depends on how many participate in the election.

The article also makes it seem as if approving the new SGA Constitution also requires a two-thirds vote of the entire student body, which is also untrue.

Even the first sentence of the article was dead wrong:

For the first time since 1985, the Student Government Association could be abolished, but SGA officials said they are not worried.

Wrong. Every four years this vote takes place, so every four years SGA could be abolished.

There is also a quote with little backing (if any):

“Most critics of SGA don’t want to completely abolish it but want to change the current structure and representation,” said Ed Mirecki, associate director for student affairs. [Editor's note: Ed Mirecki is also the faculty adviser to the SGA]

Which critics are these? Speak up!

And what about the new Constitution?

The proposed constitution includes three separate branches, clauses for impeachment, an allowance of non-senators in the executive branch to allow for increased involvement in SGA and the inclusion and distinction between Freshman Board and Freshman Forum.

These are all in the current SGA constitution.

SGA Vice President Matt Suber also lied to the Red and Black reporter:

“This is the first time a campus-wide e-mail was sent to students interested in candidacy. We want to keep the campaign equitable and accessible.”

Wrong again. Last year, President Will Childs and VP Tucker Brown sent out an email on the archnewsstudents listserv announcing that qualifying was open for the SGA elections. This email was sent on January 16th, 2006. [For a screen shot, since you have to login to the listserv webpage, click here.]

I challenge the Red and Black to investigate who lied to them, and why they printed an article without doing necessary background research.