At the first Saint Mary's College Student Government Association (SGA) meeting with its new board, Student Activities Board president Michele Peterson expressed concern over booking rooms and auditoriums through the office of Special Events.
"Student events seems to put student groups second and academic groups first," Peterson said. "I booked O'Laughlin for SMC Tostal a while ago and they decided to override the confirmation and not inform me until a month ago."
Peterson stated that she booked O'Laughlin Auditorium for the musical performance of Sara Bareilles on April 16. The event was set up until Special Events took back their confirmation and gave to the space to the Saint Mary's theatre department.
Peterson is already having trouble booking events for next year.
"I am trying to book events for next year and already having issues," Peterson said. "It is hard when students try to have events and there is no space to have them."
Another problem for Peterson is that when the Office of Special Events cancelled the event, they e-mailed Director of Student Involvement Patrick Daniel even though they had been dealing with her throughout the entire process.
The concert will still be held on April 16, but it will now be at Angela Aquatic facility.
Student Diversity Board Representative Carissa Salvador also had problems booking an event.
"There was a blood drive in the Student Center Lounge that was ending at 4 p.m. and we [Student Diversity Board] booked it for an event starting at 7 p.m.," Salvador said. "The blood drive ran late and there was blood in the room where we had food, which made some girls uncomfortable."
Salvador stated that space on campus is reserved first for on-campus organizations, and outside organizations second.
"You should get preference if you book the room first," Admissions Commissioner Jacquitta Martin, who works for Special Events, said.
"It is not just Special Events," Martin said. "Sometimes it is building services and how fast there is a turn around."
In other SGA news:
uNew SGA president Jenny Hoffman announced that she will continue to work on last year's board's efforts to install printers in residence halls and to extend Student Center hours by two hours each night.
"We are here to strive to make students comfortable on their own campus," Hoffman said. "They should know they have us to come to if they need anything as little as new vacuums in the dorms."
uSGA will meet twice more before the end of the academic year.
