By Brian Flannigan – Pioneer Reporter

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OCCC’s Student Government Association recently held their monthly meeting on Dec. 2 on Zoom.

SGA announced during the meeting that they will have a new position open, director of public relations and media, starting next year. SGA is making efforts to cultivate interest in the student body to fill this position. The ultimate goal is to get more students involved with student government, which SGA president Sergio Martinez believes has many benefits.

“I think being involved with SGA is a really good way to leave your personal touch on campus,” said Martinez “When I was part of the Legislation Committee during my first year in 2019, one thing that we did was push for emergency defibrillators to be installed around campus because there was an incident at OU where a student went into cardiac arrest and there was no defibrillator on campus.”

Martinez believes that SGA is an effective way for students to make a difference on campus.

“I think the influence of student input is something we need more of. I think that letting students be aware of the power they have, as well as what they can do when they get involved, are things that can dramatically shape their experiences and outcomes.”

It was announced that the SGA will be implementing a new process for clubs to receive funding. Currently, all clubs must request funding from Student Life and receive funding based on their size. 

The new process will have clubs submit a form to SGA requesting more funding. This would allow clubs with low membership to request funding more easily and receive funds on par with that of bigger clubs. SGA also has a yearly budget they can allocate for club funding, unlike Student Life.

On Jan. 10 and 11 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., SGA will be holding a Club and Organization Fair. The timing intentionally coincides with the start of the spring 2022 Semester.

“The reason for this occurrence is that the first initial week, especially the first day of class is generally when we have the most foot traffic on campus, and so, this was intended to try to put us in a position where we can meet with students when they are most likely to be on campus,” said Martinez

SGA has obtained new tablecloths for its various clubs and boards for a total of $3,700. Martinez explains that these tablecloths are designed for long-term use, providing context for what may initially come off as a hefty cost.

During the meeting, SGA discussed different ways to raise awareness of their presence on campus. On Dec. 10 from 6-9 p.m., SGA will hold a video game tournament, where attendees can play Super Smash Brothers. 

The event is intended to help students relax and learn more about student government. The winner of the tournament will take home a Nintendo Switch. Any OCCC student can attend.

SGA is also working to raise awareness of current offerings on campus available to students. A commercial for the Food Pantry and Clothes Closet is in the works. This would help provide advertisement for the 2 facilities at OCCC, which are already frequently utilized by students.

All students are welcome to attend SGA meetings, which are held on Zoom. Links to the Zoom meeting are sent to all students through the “What’s Happening at OCCC” email.