Letter From Student Government: Student Government Reaches Out

I was thrilled when Student Government was given permission to have our own column in Broadside to relay to the student body the current projects, recent accomplishments and things we hope to see in the near future. Before I became a member of Student Government, I really did not have any idea of how much work actually goes on behind those glass doors across from the Information Desk in the Johnson Center.

Because of that, I want to personally make you aware of the effort George Mason University’s Student Government is putting in on your behalf. University Services Committee is in the process of bringing Car Sharing to Mason. Car Sharing is comparable to a rent-a-car service on college campuses, but provides an eco-friendly car that can be reserved months or minutes in advance.

Gas and insurance are included in the overall price. Cars range from minis to BMWs to pickup trucks, or even hybrids. Check back to this column for more updates. University Services is establishing a “Housing Town Hall” to help students who have concerns throughout the year with their housing arrangements, as well as for students to be able to find out about the latest residence living information. On that note, the Office of Sustainability is working on making sure every residence hall and floor is equipped with recycling bins.

The Government and Academic Committee is proud to host the Academic Advising Expo in the Johnson Center’s Dewberry Hall Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. The Expo was brought back by popular demand last year to help students locate the resources they need to better their education and fully understand how academic advising works.

We look forward to seeing you there! Greek Week will be held March 21st through the 27th, and Student Government will be handing out hot chocolate during the Shack-A-Thon. Lastly, Student Government would also like to say thank you to the students who helped make Homecoming Week a memorable success, as well as those who donated to the “Show Us Your Cans” food drive. We received approximately 1,000 cans for the Koinonia Foundation, a nonprofit food bank based in Alexandria, Va.

Please remember that if you have questions or concerns about any Student Government activities, the executive branch has instituted a forum, “We Listen,” that can be found on the front of the Student Government web page. We do listen, and Mason’s administration, including the president and provost, consult with Student Government before any other organization on campus.

Be on the lookout for a campus wide e-mail on the new events messaging system, Mason Events Alert, which gives students the 411 on campus and lists all the events from Thursday through Sunday.

Jennifer Mancini

Student Government Senator