KIMBERLY SWEETMAN
The Corsair
Some PJC students may wonder who speaks for them on campus. Some may wonder how they can make their voice be heard.
The Student Government Association of PJC’s Pensacola campus, which meets every Wednesday at 2 p.m. under the pavilion, is a club devoted to being the voice of the students.
Pensacola’s SGA supports all the athletic teams, helps coordinate the Welcome Back Bash every year, collects food for Manna food bank, and is involved with many other events and community service projects.
“In the meetings we talk about upcoming events, go over applications, introduce new members, and get to know each other,” Wes Partrick, SGA member, said.
There are few requirements to become a member of SGA. Members must have a 2.0 GPA and be enrolled in at least 3 semester hours at PJC. Members may become more involved by joining the many executive board positions.
Matthew Lamb, Pensacola’s SGA president, started attending SGA about a year ago. “They had a sign that said free pizza, and I was like free pizza, cool,” Lamb said. “After that, even when they didn’t have pizza, I just kept coming. In the spring, there was an election for president, and I ran for president and got it, but that was how it started: free pizza.”
According to the SGA Constitution, “The Executive Board shall be selected by a committee of faculty, staff, and student representation on each campus and shall serve two academic semesters with the opportunity for reappointment, but shall not serve more than six academic semesters in the same capacity, excluding summers.”
To become an officer, a member of SGA submits an application and gives a speech. The members then vote. Once elected, the officers must maintain a 2.5 GPA in order to stay in office. Members of the executive board are responsible for the main decisions and are more involved in the many community service projects.
“My favorite thing about SGA would be going out in the community and helping the underprivileged community,” Lamb said. “We helped build a house once with Habitat for Humanity. I thought it was a rewarding experience in itself. Just helping somebody who can’t afford to build a house.”
Pensacola’s SGA is involved with community service projects on and off campus as well as many of the events planned by Student Activities.
Angie Jones, coordinator of Student Leadership and Activities and also the advisor for the Pensacola campus SGA, said, “Any event that we [Student Activities] host, they piggyback off us. They will eventually start planning their own events and we will piggyback on them.”
Besides doing service projects and helping with events, Pensacola’s SGA also represents the PJC students by reading all of the suggestions from the many suggestion boxes around campus, listening to suggestions of the members, and discussing current issues that are going on with the students such as textbook prices and tuition rates.
A member of the executive board then takes all valid complaints to Dr. James Martin, vice president of Student Services, who does what he can to fix the problems.
“Once there was a suggestion about smoking on campus. We took that to Dr. Martin and the next week there was a rule that no one could smoke within 50 feet of a building,” Lamb said.
All students are welcome to attend the meetings and let their voice be heard.
“Just participate,” Jones said. “You don’t have to necessarily get involved in a club to volunteer in the community. You can volunteer anywhere. You can participate in any of the events that are on campus or off campus. Just get involved.”