Speech promises future progress

While admitting “we’re not even playing the same ball game” after a 52 percent cut in state budget funding, Student Body President Meredith Ross said in her State of the Student Body Address Wednesday night that Student Government is still coming up with solutions and making progress.

In her 11-minute speech, Ross, a fourth-year political science student, pointed to many new initiatives, including current discussions to bring a textbook rental program to campus. Secretary of Academics Will Payne is in negotiations with Barnes and Noble to bring its new rental program to the Russell House Bookstore.

“Students cannot continue to be swindled by the textbook industry at the beginning of each semester,” Ross said. “It is unreasonable and unjustified that more than one quarter of financing for a four-year post-secondary education will fall on textbooks alone.”

Payne said he isn’t sure when the program will come to fruition, but talks so far have been “forthcoming and promising.”

University President Harris Pastides, who attended the speech along with multiple other USC administrators, said he wholeheartedly supported the rental program.

“Although books are vital, textbook costs have spiraled out of control,” Pastides said. “But we as Gamecocks can start a movement to bring this program to our campus and other campuses nationwide.”

In a year where most university departments have seen significant budget cuts and layoffs, Ross quickly admitted there are financial problems. University organizations are hurting for funding, and student government just isn’t able to help right now.

Sustained departmental cuts have hurt some university initiatives, but it doesn’t mean progress has stopped, Ross said.

She said the extra 1,000 upper deck tickets in the student section, the expanded Greene Street Healthy Carolina Farmer’s Market and the opening of the library 24 hours a day, 7 days a week all came after Student Government leaders pushed for the changes.

New programs that will form stronger ties between the university and the Columbia community are on the way, too.

“Student Government must strive to break out of its own shell and look to those around us for help,” Ross said. “This administration has seen greater collaboration within its own ranks than ever before, but this is not enough.”

Student lobbyists will represent the University at the State House this spring, ensuring “collegiate education is a priority to our state government,” Ross said.

A program that will donate leftover food from campus dining facilities to homeless services could come soon, and recycling programs in the Greek Village are currently being promoted.

“I thought her speech was wonderful and on point,” Pastides said. “I’m particularly supportive of all her future plans, and I think her ideas to put students in charge of helping us find solutions is what we always want to do as university leaders.”

The entire event was much more formal and organized than in past years. Dozens of leading university administrators and nearly 30 students packed the Senate chamber, leaving only standing room for those that stumbled in.

Senators were asked to dress professionally, and Ross was flanked by committee chairs in her entrance to the hall. There were assigned seats in the chamber for everyone in attendance.

Multiple members of the audience and Senate laughed during an exchange between Sergeant-at-Arms Robert Wardlaw and Student Body Vice President Alex Stroman. At the beginning of the evening, the two addressed each other as “Mr. President” and “Mr. Doorkeeper” prior to the president’s procession. 

Wardlaw’s response to the laughs: “It’s a little better than being a bellhop.”

 

SENATE QUICK HITS

A 15-minute Senate session following the State of the Student Body address allowed the Senate to unanimously approve student government funding allocations from the Finance Committee.

There was little discussion on the bill, which gives student organizations almost $48,000 to conduct programming from November to February. Over $160,000 was originally requested by organizations.

Student Government also approved a bill that will create a Campus Dining Services Committee. The committee will send “secret shoppers” to campus dining facilities. Then, the committee will meet and propose suggestions for Campus Dining Services.