Campus issues such as wireless Internet improvement or availability of art classes for non-art majors prove important to members of the Student Government Association as the semester wraps up.

SGA is featuring a poll on its Web site about student reactions to current SGA initiatives.

The poll includes ideas about privacy and Social Security numbers, availability of recycling on campus, campus safety and lighting at crosswalks, Internet improvements regarding OASIS and PAWS and availability of art classes for non-art majors.

“We wanted to gauge student opinion on where we need to go when we get back next semester,” said Justin Shepherd, SGA attorney general.

After having no competition in the SGA elections in January, the Serving Our Students administration survived the vote of confidence when students voted not to abolish SGA for the next four years.

Due to challenges by Paul Ruddle, a sophomore applied biotechnology major, the new constitution was not passed based on the number of students who voted. President Katy Bowers and Vice President Ali Gibbons assigned the constitution to a committee to be revised and put up for vote next year.

Following previous executive members Jamie Peper and Matt Suber in extending library hours in the fall, Bowers and Gibbons worked with administrators to keep the Student Learning Center open for 24 hours as a trial period before this semester’s finals.

In addition to the initiatives listed in the poll, SGA is working toward a clarified syllabus and an amnesty policy.

“We’re working with administrators on a policy of listing academic expectations of faculty and students in syllabi for classes,” Bowers said.

Although some rights are included on syllabi, they don’t necessarily give students a right to complain if rights are broken, she said.

Among bills passed in the Senate concerning internal activities this semester, the budget was made available to senators and was approved in the Senate for the first time. Treasurer Clayton Cox encouraged this after SGA overdrafted its account by more than $6,000 in spring 2006.

In early April, senators voted not to ban the party system used during elections, but Shepherd said the Elections Code will require parties to register its name and all members by a deadline before elections.

Some of the initiatives for the administration have already been accomplished, Shepherd said.

“Students should no longer be asked for their Social Security numbers on exams, quizzes or even class rosters,” he said.

Campus police may start issuing fines for jaywalking in order to increase crosswalk safety, according to student senator Jessica King.

Further initiatives for next semester include creating a pre-med certificate for non-science majors and creating a grade replacement resolution.

Under this resolution, the grade earned by taking a class a second time will replace the grade earned previously instead of being averaged with it.

In addition, Chris Lindsey, creator of the Hatin’ SGA Web site, called for accountability of individual college representatives and timely execution in sending SGA reports to students.