Senators approved the Student Nurses’Association-Sioux Falls and discussed future plans for campus at the April 15 Students’ Association meeting.

Open Forum
Representatives from the Sioux Falls Student Nurses’ Association addressed the Senate via Zoom hoping to expand the association to Sioux Falls.
The Sioux Falls Student Nurses’ Association is a duplicate organization, since both the Brookings and Rapid City campuses have the club as well.
The association aims to expand the club to Sioux Falls for organization and inclusion for students in the College of Nursing. The program in Sioux Falls could have up to 48 students.
Chief of Staff Rylee Sabo for the College of Nursing supported the approval of the organization.
“I think it’s really important…to be able to get involved and do all the things that someone on the Brookings or Rapid City campus would like to do,” Sabo said. “As it is an equivalent program, so, I think that we should have equal opportunity in Sioux Falls as well.”

Committee and Staff Reports
SA President Trinity Peterson proposed a grant that will partially fund $100,000 for McCrory Gardens to upgrade the arboretum. This project will be voted on during the next SA meeting.
Peterson also mentioned her discussing free period products in the Student Union with Gov. Affairs Chair Claire Koenecke and Finance Chair Grace Peterson. They plan to meet and discuss the idea further.
“We’ve heard great things about that on other campuses, so, it’s something we’re really excited to pursue,” Peterson said.
The Senate’s General Activity Strategic Plan was approved by the University Activity and Budgeting Committee and will move on to President Barry Dunn and Vice President Michaela Willis for approval.
Peterson and SA Vice-President Hayden Bentz met with Dunn to discuss the travel policy for senators and the General Activity Fee Strategic Plan.
They also met to discuss the plans for renovations for Larson Commons.
“The work will begin on that renovation this coming summer, particularly along area of the main level of the Larson Commons area,” Bentz said. “So, we will be seeing some work going on this summer, and then hopefully will wrap that up very shortly…in this coming academic year.”
Bentz spoke about the Campus Master Plan which aims to improve the ‘physical space on campus in the coming years.’ Peterson and Bentz proposed ideas to Dunn that focuses on pedestrian safety, an improvement in outdoor lighting, especially on Jackrabbit Avenue and Medary Avenue.
Kimberly Grieve, who served as a temporary interim associate vice president for Student Affairs and special assistant to the vice president, said goodbye to the Senate for Willis to step back into her role as vice president of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management.

New Business
The Senate added Resolution 24-1-R that will oppose the current draft for the Student Organization Travel and Field Trip Policy, and added the McCrory Project to partially fund upgrades the arboretum through a $600,000 grant. Both are to be discussed at the next meeting.

Announcements
Willis commemorated two South Dakota State University professors, Paul Barnes, dean emeritus of College of Education and Human Sciences, and Beverly Warne, the founder of the Native American Nursing Education Center in Rapid City, who both recently passed away.

The next SA meeting will be the final meeting of the year.