ETSU President Brian Noland addressed recent campus news items and policies and answered questions from the Student Government Association during their Sept. 29 meeting.
Noland expressed his appreciation for SGA’s leadership over the course of the summer and the beginning of the fall semester.
“This has been a really unique fall,” Noland said.
Noland continued by describing the drastic impact COVID-19 has had on other universities and institutions in the U.S. Every college student in Boulder, Colorado, for example, has been self-quarantined for two weeks, and there is currently a shelter in place enforced. Noland expressed his pride in the way the university and SGA have handled the pandemic.
“The story and the experience at this institution is different than at others, and it’s because of your leadership,” said Noland.
Noland also commented on the format of the spring semester.
“I cannot in good consciousness predict what the Spring will look like” said Noland.
However, Noland did state that the university is working to ensure students are notified on decisions regarding the spring semester as early as possible.
At this time, Noland is primarily concerned with the mental health and safety of students. He asked for input and feedback from SGA members regarding the spring calendar.
Finally, Noland announced that the budget adjustments made during the summer are the only adjustments that will be made for this academic year.
“I see no need for further budget adjustments for this academic year,” said Noland.
During the meeting, the SSA-20-002 legislation bill presented by SGA Vice President Seth Manning at the first SGA meeting was unanimously approved and will move forward to the ETSU Board of Trustees in November. The bill proposes to reform the Student Trustee selection process to give SGA more power in the decision.
In other business, the Hispanic American Student Community Alliance petitioned for an increase in the amount of Buc Fund money for the organization. The request was presented to SGA, and a committee-recommended funding increase of $2,250 was approved.
SGA President Shivam Patel spoke of the approval of SGA’s petition to extend the Pass/Fail option implemented this past spring into the fall semester by the Academic Council. Students now have the option to select Pass/Fail for one of their courses this semester. Patel and Manning commended SGA on a job well done in providing timely feedback to the petition that Patel could present to the Academic Council.
