Student Government Association met Thursday, Jan. 21 for a general body meeting in Room 220 of the Student Center, where they will meet for most of the quarter. MAP advocacy remained an important topic, as well as upcoming Blue Demon Week, beginning Jan. 25.

Guest Speakers

• Dean of the College of Education Paul Zionts: Zionts gave an update on the college, mentioning it boasts the largest high school counselor program in the state. Overall, the student credit hour production has increased from last year. He called the progress “everything I fantasized when I came here.”
• One of the college’s largest clients is Rush Hospital, he said, which frequently calls faculty in to teach doctors how to teach their interns. The college runs similar programs for nonprofit organizations and local schools.
• Required courses in the College of Education: Dean Zionts expressed that the college has “more required courses than it should” when the Senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Ben Bui asked him about the College of Education’s curriculum.
• Standardized testing: “You don’t get a chicken fatter by putting him on the scale every day. And, somehow, we think you get students smarter by testing them every day,” said Dean Zionts when Senator for Second Year Students Amanda Cervantes asked his opinion on the value of standardized testing. He said that education is beginning to lean towards less testing.
• Dean Zionts also fielded questions from Frankie Favela (Senator of the Driehaus College of Business), Bobby Robaina (Senator for Community and Government Relations), Damien Wille (Treasurer), Andrew Willett (Senator for First Year Students) and Adriana Kemper (EVP for Operations).

New Business

• Resignation: SGA acknowledged the resignation of Ben Cohen from his seat as Senator for Commuter Students.  That leaves five vacant Senator positions: Commuter Students, College of Education, Intercultural Awareness, Law Students, and Third Year Students.

President’s Report

• Map advocacy: President Vanessa Cadavillo again highlighted the MAP Advocacy campaign. SGA aims to bring 4,000 postcards to Springfield, all filled out by DePaul students. On SGA’s January 20 MAP Advocacy Day, students filled out 292 cards. Cadavillo said that, compared to other local universities, the MAP advocacy at DePaul is “unparalleled.”
• Blue Demon Week: SGA will host a Blue Demon Week Kick-Off event on Monday, January 25, from 10 am to 2 pm in the Student Center Atrium. The event will feature a chocolate fountain with blue chocolate, a backdrop for photos, corn hole and plenty of giveaways.
• President Cadavillo encouraged senators to tell their constituents about a Meet and Greet event with DePaul President Fr. Dennis Holtschneider, C.M. The event is on Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. for interested students. Resumes are required before Feb. 1, and students are admitted on a “first-come, first-serve” basis, she said.
• President Cadavillo met with Marquece Jones-Holifield, coordinator of cultural student organization, with hopes to “enhance (SGA’s) collaborations with the center for Identity, Inclusion and Social Change,” she said.

Vice President’s Report

• MAP advocacy: Vice President Rick Popp said that each SGA member will be responsible for 50 MAP advocacy postcards, due no later than March 3.
• MAP lobby day: Vice President Popp said April 20 is the tentative date for SGA’s MAP lobby day, when they will travel to Springfield for a demonstration and to give legislators their postcards. “This is basically mandatory,” said President Cadavillo.
• There are two more scheduled MAP advocacy days: Feb. 1 in Lincoln Park, and Feb. 3 in the loop, said Vice President Popp.

EVP Reports

• Book donations: EVP for Academic Affairs Kristina Pouliot reported that she has an upcoming meeting with library staff to talk about “ways to make the book donation policy more clear,” she said.
• Vinny Vans: EVP for Operations Adriana Kemper said that the Vinny Van will be back after Blue Demon Week. Because of student concerns about locating the van, it will be stationed at a loading deck on Kenmore, between the library and the SAC.
• Vinny Vow bystander intervention: EVP for Student Affairs Patrick Pfohl went to a Sexual & Relationship Violence Prevention meeting. They will be using the term “Vinny Vow” to refer to bystander intervention, and encouraging students to take the Vinny Vow.

Senator Reports

• Code of conduct: Senator for Graduate Students Chris Witting continues to work on a Student Code of Responsibility Committee, which updates and revises the code of conduct. They are working to include a Good Samaritan policy, among others.
• Vincentian Coffeehouse: Senator for Mission and Values Michael Mulligan advertised the Vincentian Coffeehouse on Tuesday, Jan. 26 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Student Center, room 120 AB.
• Cheap books: Senator for the College of Computing and Digital Media Michael Greene tackled his initiative for textbook affordability by talking to students about where they find cheaper books.
• CTA prices: Senator for Fourth & Fifth Year Student Clark Fox contacted presidents of local student governments in Chicago about his idea to make the CTA less expensive.
• Fine dining and blue food: Senator for First Year Students Andrew Willett commended the positive response students had to Chartwells first “high-end dining experience,” as they served steak. The dining hall will feature blue foods for Blue Demon Week, including blueberry pancakes and blueberry barbecue wings.
• MLK Day: Senator for Second Year Students Amanda Cervantes told members about her volunteer experience on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Through City Year Chicago, she painted alphabet murals at Brighton Park Elementary School.
• Art Institute: Senator for Community and Government Relations Bobby Robaina went on the record to “thank the University Partner program and the Division of Student Affairs because…now DePaul students have free admission to the Art Institute.” All students will have free admission until Sept. 30.