At South Dakota State University Students’ Association meeting April 25, senators were addressed by Jennifer Novotny, senior director of the University Student Union, approved student club constitutions and allocated funds.

Novotny:

Phase III of the Student Union renovations will begin this summer. The renovation of Volstorff Ballroom will be the largest part of the operation. The Student Union is not going to be fully closed at any point during the operation according to current plans.

“We’re going to start as soon as the semester ends,” Novotny said. “We have Mills Construction coming in immediately after to start the demo.”

Sections of the Student Union will be closed intermittently throughout the summer, and campus dining options may be limited to the Dairy Bar for durations of the operation.

“We’re gong to have Einstein’s open a bit during orientation, and we’re going to have Chick-fil-A open a bit during orientation,” Novotny said.

Grab-and-go options will still be available during the summer.

“Hopefully by the time you come back next semester, you’ll see some big changes,” she said.

The Market kitchen area will also be updated.

Clubs:

The Senate approved the club constitutions for the Collegiate 4-H Club, the Recorder Club, the Respiratory Club and the Circle K Club, which SDSU hasn’t had since 2012.

The Circle K Club SDSU chapter will focus on community service. Members talked about volunteering at the humane society, food pantry and recycling as part of giving back to the community. The club is planning an ice cream social to recruit members.

The Recorder Club will give members colored strings, similar to karate belts, as they learn new recorder skills. There are currently about seven members.

Other:

A special allocation of $2,047.75 was approved for new bike towers. The towers will be situated at the Wellness Center, the east side of Hansen Hall and in Jackrabbit Village. Students will be able to maintain their bikes without having to go off campus to fix their bikes or fill their tires with air. 

The Senate also passed a special allocation for Agricultural Communications of Tomorrow. This is the first time the event will be held at SDSU. The allocation will help cover the venue and food costs.