USG will be hosting a town hall style meeting on Monday Oct. 24 at 6 p.m. The meeting will function as an opportunity for all students to bring questions and concerns to the attention of USG.
“The topics are going to be student safety and parking, so there will be the new police chief coming in and also a representative from parking services,” Vice President Richard Racette said. “They are going to present on the things that they want to present on and hopefully answer some questions for students.”
After the presentations from the police chief and parking representative, the floor will open for a town hall format.
“It’s going to be a really great opportunity to connect with students and talk about concerns,” Speaker Nadia Oehler said.
The meeting will be held in the BTSU Theater. Students will use their BG1 cards to swipe into the event in an attempt to measure student involvement on campus.
President Amanda Dortch addressed the racial slur that was painted on the University spirit rock late last week.
“Things like that do impact you here at Bowling Green State University,” Dortch said. “Keep your eyes and ears open and just be aware.”
On Oct. 20 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a reaffirmation of Not In Our Town in the Falcon’s Nest.
“I do encourage each and every one of you to really read that pledge, to really engage with this…to be an ally, to advocate and to stand against any and all hateful actions in Bowling Green, Ohio, which is your town,” Dortch said. “Do you want this to be a place of hate? I hope not.”
NIOT came to the University in 2013 after another hateful incident occurred, Dortch said. Attendees to the reaffirmation will include Mayor Dick Edwards and University President Mary Ellen Mazey.
Chris Bullins, dean of students in the office of campus activities, visited USG Monday night.
Bullins focused on engaging students, parents and alumni.
This year, over 1600 families registered for Family Weekend, and $35,000 was raised through costs associated with the weekend’s activities, Bullins said.
There are now over 350 registered campus organizations, and over 330 of them held tables at campus fest this year.
“First year students who join a student organization at BGSU are retained into their second year at over 85 percent,” Bullins said. “They also tend to do a half of a GPA point better than students who don’t get involved at all.”
During a question and answer time with Bullins, increasing funding for organizations and improving OrgSync awareness and usability were discussed.
A USG chair update included that the degree audit and schedule planner programs accessible through MyBGSU are both being updated and will go into use in the next few weeks.
Multiple new officers were also sworn in Monday night, including the recently created international senator position.
