SGA is behind many student events
By Matt Simko
IV Leader Staff
Over the last few months, you’ve likely noticed, or
perhaps attended, a number of activities on campus that offered food and fun for
free. However, it is less likely that you noticed the student organization that
has been behind those events.
Whether is it representation on the school’s Board of
Trustees or providing fun for students in the first weeks of class on Spirit
Day, the Student Government Association works each year “to further advance the
cultural, social, academic, and co-curricular aspects of college life”.
What this has meant for most students is that some source of
entertainment has been available on campus on a regular basis.
SGA kicked off the year with IVCC Spirit Day, which offered, among other things,
free pizza, drinks, a mechanical bull, wax hands and a DJ.
In the time since then, the group has hosted the Comedy
Sportz improvisation team, helped with the River Currents Fright Fest movie
night and recently helped host Christopher Carter, a highly entertaining
mentalist, in the cafeteria. This most recent activity drew a crowd of over 300.
In the coming months, SGA will be sponsoring a bus trip on
Jan. 6 to the United Center to see IVCC play Lincoln College, followed by a
Bulls-Grizzlies game.
However, SGA plays a significant role beyond sponsoring
activities for students.
SGA is also responsible for distributing student activity
funds to all of the other organizations on campus. The task helps to ensure not
only that current organizations can maintain their budgets without holding a
fundraiser every week, but also helps new clubs to get started without the
stress of finding start-up funding.
The organization is also the sole governing agent for the
student body and is therefore an important representative for student interests
within the college and at the level of the Board of Trustees.
Members also head down to Springfield each year to visit with
state legislators in an effort to keep greater community college interests on
the legislative table.
When asked why she became involved with student government,
freshmen representative Megan Guilfoyle said that she “mostly wanted to get
involved on campus” and felt that she could be a voice students.
Guilfoyle also said the experience has been a rewarding one,
noting the friends she had made and the opportunities she has had to develop her
leadership skills.
If you would like to become involved with the Student
Government Association, you can check out their page on the IVCC website or
contact Cory Tomasson, who is the organization’s faculty advisor.
Petitions to run for office will become available in March
and elections are generally held in April.