One of the four functions of a newspaper is to serve as the watch-dog of the government. The recent apology letter from Taylor Martin, SGA executive president, criticized student media coverage of SGA happenings. In response, this week's editorial vowed to provide more information regarding the accomplishments of the student government association. As a beat reporter for SGA, my role involves reporting on meetings and any stories related to student government and fulfilling The Pendulum's promise.
At the SGA meeting Feb. 11, the senate discussed the evaluation of the Greek Life summit, which assessed Elon University's Greek life system. The summit revealed some positives about the system as well as some negatives. According to Martin, collectively members of Greek life have a higher gpa than that of unaffiliated students. Nevertheless, the summit said that this is not the case during the pledge period. SGA will release a more elaborate report of the Greek life summit next week.
At the meeting Nick Livengood introduced the Student Alumni Council, which will perform the same function that Acorn Society had perviously done. The purpose of the council is to form a relationship between the students and the alumni and a lifelong connection between the students and the university, Livengood said.
Through the Student Alumni Council each class will organize an activity to increase donations to the university. According to Livengood, freshman will create a bucketlist in Elon 101, sophomores will organize trivia for the fall semester, juniors will host a baseball tailgate in the spring and seniors will attend lectures and events to learn more about the alumni responsibility.
"Elon really needs to try and boost alumni giving and that's where students and leaders on campus need to facilitate this growth," said Darien Flowers, executive pro-temp.
The aspects of the institution that we appreciate are made possible because of alumni donations, he said.
SGA voted 24-0-0 to pass the establishment of the Student Alumni Council.
-Melissa Kansky, Assistant News Editor