The Alabama State University Student Government Association is on a mission to better the school and create a place that allows students to have a voice as well as give back to the university.
Current student body President Landon Hale, who aspires to be a sports medicine physician, says he has about five or six things he would like to accomplish before the end of his term.
First, he would like to see university-wide study halls implemented for all students and not just for athletes.
“Right now, we are testing whether the students believe this is a good idea,” Hale said. “We have opened the ballrooms on the second floor of the John Garrick Hardy Center every Wednesday for students to come in and study.”
The Birmingham, Alabama native, who happens to be a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Student Orientation Services, National Society of Leadership and Success, Student Retention Council, Thurgood Marshall College Fund Yard Ambassador and Monster Inc. Ambassador, also feels that he would like to make an effort to negotiate a 10% discount with all of the local vendors.
“Other colleges and universities have this benefit, and I believe we should see if the local business in Montgomery would be amenable to this,” he said. “Students spend thousands of dollars with the local vendors in Montgomery.”
One of the items that Hale can check off his “to-do” list is the Hornet Buzz Line.
“The Hornet Buzz Line is very important because it allows the students to tell us what is going on when they encounter problems in the residence halls or with their instructors. That helps our administration to be more prepared and have the proper documentation since we serve as the liaison between the students and the administration.”
Hale also referenced his Vice President, Hope Smith. Smith is a part of Student Orientation Services and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
“Hope is in the process of putting together a program called “Home for the Holidays” that will help students who are traveling between holidays and semesters to get shuttle service to and from the airport,” he said. “We have a number of students who travel home during the holidays that need a shuttle to get them back and forth to Montgomery Regional Airport. We believe our students will benefit from this service.”
Finally, Hale said he would like to implement “The President’s Association.”
“This will be a consortium of all of the organization presidents on the yard,” he said. “It is a way for me to communicate to all of the organizations through their respective presidents, whether it be an event or an issue that the students are dealing with, it provides another channel of communication for our administration to know what is going on and to find out what is going on.”
Hale realizes that he only has seven months to get these programs implemented, and he hopes that he will be able to complete them all, but just in case, he is not able to he said, “I will at least have started a blueprint for the next SGA president if they feel the need to make some of these initiatives their initiatives also.”
Hale will also be working with SGA Treasurer TreVon Conner and SGA Secretary Alexandra Thomas
Thomas, who is majoring in rehabilitation services wants to reach students where they are, and Conner, a finance major wants to go into strategy consulting. He believes school is the name of the game, and he feels as if he plays it well.
The executive officers said they wanted to bring something new to the table and work with everyone.