At this week’s Student Government Association meeting on Tuesday, guest speaker Katrina Byrd discussed an alternative option for students who will be buying textbooks next semester. It was also suggested that a Women and Politics course be added to the women’s studies department course list and that the sign in front of Stone Hall be changed to “co-ed” to include its new male residents.

SGA will also be working to improve Aramark’s food services on campus during the next two weeks.

Byrd, of Cengagebrain.com, said by renting textbooks from Cengage or buying the book electronically students can save 60 percent off of the suggested retail price.

“Anything that we can do to reduce cost is a positive,” said SGA President Brian Bowman. “If it is a viable costing option it would naturally be popular.”

Cengage Learning also provides free access to quizzes, flash cards and other study aids on their Web site. For example, the cost of a traditional textbook that sells for $225 in bookstore costs $146 brand new on Cengage or $80 electronically.

SGA Senator Valisa Griffin, a Women’s Studies and political science minor, said that ETSU should offer more classes about influential women in politics.

“I think implementing another program of women politics is a great idea for the political science major/minor and for the women studies major/minor because it is not along the same lines as any of the other classes,” said SGA Secretary of Public Relations Kati Haj-Hussein. “There is nothing about women and politics, natural law or anything.”

Also on the agenda, SGA will be working on ways to improve Aramark Food Services at ETSU. They are focusing on getting better quality food in the Marketplace cafeteria on the third floor of the D.P. Culp Center.

“I hope that we can make some changes to make it more enjoyable because it would benefit both parties because more people would buy meal plans, and Aramark would make more money,” Griffin said. “If we if made some changes and modifications, it would be better for everybody.”

While ETSU dining services renewed its contract with Aramark as its vendor for a 10-year contract, students want to see improvements made to Main Meal.

I know that a lot of students are concerned with the quality of the food,” Bowman said. “They’re also concerned with vegetarian options. The typical thing that happens in a lot of schools is students are not satisfied in dining services.”

“I think a lot of students are concerned about the quality and the price,” said SGA Secretary-Treasurer Suzi Azzazy. “There have been some improvements, but not as many that need to occur.”

SGA meets every Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Culp Center’s Forum Room.

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