After a year of controversy, a thrown out Senate, inner-room squabbling and in a nutshell one large SGA soap opera, members of the SGA are looking to leave the past behind them and move onto a new era of student government.

Both newly-elected SGA President John Sheehan and Student Trustee Jon Laubinger are claiming that change and moving are on the top of their priority lists for this upcoming year.

“It’s all about keeping the students informed with what is going on within the SGA and on-campus and working together to build a common ground,” Sheehan said. “Last year the SGA messed up and what we need to do; this year is to build focus within the SGA as well as build relationships with one another in order to succeed.”

Issues such as parking on campus and YCMP are on the agenda of things to be worked on. Sheehan explained that YCMP is in the final stages of being available for freshman and sophomores in the near future.

“Were working on the nuts and bolts of the plan right now,” Sheehan said. “Ken Toong, Director of Dinning Services, has been very receptive in working with us and doing what is in his power to help us with opening YCMP up to freshman and sophomores.”

Parking, another issue that seems to thirve every semester at the University, was also addressed by Sheehan this past semester. Sheehan proposed a plan for numbering all the parking lot spaces on campus in order to prevent over-selling of parking permits. The plan would allow freshman to buy yellow-lot parking passes only, as well as regulate how many passes are being sold.

“In theory, with the new parking plan in effect it should be nothing near like it was last year in Southwest or Orchard Hill,” Sheehan said.

“It’s the perfect plan if it works the way it was should.”

The SGA is also gearing up for some new issues this coming year. One in particular is the communication between the SGA and Administrators.

“I’m going to be meeting with the Interim-Chancellor Marci Williams and her advisory council once a month during the fall as well as following up in the Spring,” Laubinger said. “I’m also going to be meeting regularly with the Dean of Students as well as weekly meetings with Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs Javier Cevallos. Hopefully this way we will all be on a better level of understanding on the issues that are going on here at UMass.”

Laubinger further explained that he plans to get more student involvement within his position by getting a task group together to work with him on issues.

“I want to get a group of students together who will work with me on decisions that I’m making as Trustee as well as so they can give me their opinions on issues on campus,” Laubinger said.

The SGA Senate is also gearing up and, with a rough year behind them, newly elected Speaker Aaron Saunders and Associate Speaker Bill Powers are looking to take baby steps towards the future.

“We all have this grand vision and we know that we need to take little steps to get to them,” Powers said.

Saunders agreed with Powers and explained his view of why the Senate failed to succeed last year, and what he hopes will be different this year.

“We look back at last year and we hit rock bottom, and that was mainly due to the Senate’s lack of information,” Saunders said. “We’ve been working with John and Jon on restructuring the Senate and the way that we break up into committees.”

The proposed plan would break up the Senate into four sub-committees, Administrative Affairs, University Policy, Ways and Means and a Finance committee. The groups will then meet with administrators within their groups and work directly with them on a monthly basis, Saunders explained. He said that he hopes that by working together Senators will be able to be more informed when it comes to making motions and having them actually approved by the administration.

“Our main goal is to actually do something and not sit around and stomp our feet about the Administration,” Saunders said. “Were trying to find ways to bring the SGA closer to the student body and get them actively involved with us. The key is to make students aware that the SGA really does affect them.”

Powers also explained that he hopes that this year things will move forward rather than backward within the Senate, and that he wants students to look at the Senate as a vehicle and source to solve problems on campus.

“Last year meetings would drag on and they don’t have too,” Powers said. “We want to slow up the motion-making process so that we can pass effective motions as well as fully understand motions that are presented.”

Issues of keeping quorum were an issue faced by last year’s Senate as well as an overall lack of respect for one another. With back-room fighting ruining last semester’s Senate meetings, as well as meaningless motions causing lack of quorum were all contributing factors to the ineffectiveness of the body.

Saunders claims that this year will be different due to the fact that he plans on having the meetings more stream lined and to the point.

“Bill and I want to change the view of the Senate from just kids who sit around on Wednesday night to students who are actually involved in making changes for students,” Saunders said. “The SGA is a self-justified organization, but the bulk of our support is from students and we need their support by either running for a seat in Senate, their area government or just by supporting other students in the elections.”

Strong leadership has been one of the main goals on the Senate’s behalf as well as within the legislative cabinet. Saunders and Laubinger both expressed their concern over the need for strong student leadership.

“There are people who want to get involved with an elected position and it’s our job to reach out to them and get them involved,” Saunders said.

On October 3rd Senate elections begin at UMass, and all aspects of the SGA hope to avoid last year’s controversy over seat apportionment.

“Last year we changed the voting loop hole, so that now there are only two districts, commuter and on-campus residents,” Sheehan said.

Saunders continued to add that there is generally a lack of commuter

Senators come election time, and he hopes that will not be the case this up and coming year.

“We always lack commuter Senators and we want to get involvement from off-campus students and the Greek community,” Saunders said.

Last year left the SGA with a tainted image amongst many students at the University, and members of the SGA claim that they want and will get the respect back. Being seen as a legitimate body and not an unfunny joke must be goal number one if any of the SGA’s other aspirations are to reach fruition.

“As Speaker I’m not going to deal with inner room fighting. It made the SGA look awful last year and that is our big challenge this year,” Saunders said. “We need to get our respect back and I know we’re going to do a good job, but we’re going to have to prove it.”

Pull quote: “As Speaker I’m not going to deal with inner room fighting. It made the SGA look awful last year and that is our big challenge this year,” Saunders said. “We need to get our respect back and I know we’re going to do a good job, but we’re going to have to prove it.”

Pull Quote: “It’s all about keeping the students informed with what is going on within the SGA and on-campus and working together to build a common ground,” Sheehan said. “Last year the SGA messed up and what we need to do; this year is to build focus within the SGA as well as build relationships with one another in order to succeed.”