The Students’ Association talked of new changes happening to campus and was addressed by Brookings City Council member, Brianna Doran for updates on the city.
Open Forum
Brookings City Councilor Brianna Doran told the Students Association senate on Monday that the city is developing a new transportation plan and anybody with ideas is welcome to contribute.
The plan is a collaborative effort with the South Dakota Department of Transportation with the city of Brookings and aims to establish what transportation looks like in the city.
“That includes investments of all the primary modes of travel, including vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian and transit,” said Doran.
If anyone wishes to provide feedback on where they would want a ‘crosswalk or a stoplight, or how transportation looks in general,’ can be sent to Brookingsatp.com and take their survey, or speak to a city council member, Doran said.
Doran gave an update to SA regarding the fire that happened at Brost’s Fashions on Dec 30. She said that the fire was ruled as accidental but the official cause hasn’t been determined. The start of stabilizing, restructuring and rebuilding the building has started, though.
Affected individuals from 12 apartments and eight businesses were given relief grant funds from a partnership of the Brookings Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) and downtown Brookings which added up to 50 thousand dollars. A Brookings community fundraiser for relief added 20 thousand dollars for those affected as well.
“That is incredible that the community was able to come together that time in need and focus on such an important aspect of our town,” said Doran.
There have also been three different grant programs that have been released for downtown. One is a facade grant, for ‘significant on alley and street-facing buildings,’ a revitalization grant, for interiors, and a lights, camera, action grant that is for safety, cameras and lights in alleyways, and for overall improvement for downtown.
“We will see a little improvement in our downtown businesses beside that affected area,” said Doran.
Also, a student at SDSU, named Thomas Reynolds, petitioned the city for a street to be named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to honor his legacy and was passed. On Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 5:15 p.m. the street that was chosen was Pioneer Park.
It was selected to be there because the street welcomes visitors and residents and is where events such as arts festivals, Pride and Juneteenth events have been held.
Last, Doran talked about No Mow May, a program by the Sustainability Council in Brookings, that was in effect in an effort to bring awareness to pollinators and to create more sustainable practices. After feedback from the community, the program may be repealed, and replaced with five new programs that would help with sustainability. The Brookings City Council will vote once the new programs are looked at and decided on.
Committee & Staff Reports
SA President Trinity Peterson’s report mentioned June Cup Cares, which are ‘reusable and environmentally friendly menstrual products’ that will be free and provided to students across campus that menstruate. June Cup Cares products are now available in Jack’s Cupboard and will be voted on at the next SA meeting (Resolution 24-14-R).
Vice President Hayden Bentz reported that there is a proposed new main entrance to the university on the North side, behind Briggs Library.
“Right now there really isn’t a main dedicated entrance onto our campus, there’s a lot of avenues to get to it, but not a main dedicated one to welcome people onto SDSU’s campus,” Bentz said. “That will really help, I think, elevate our stature as a university and welcome respective students, visitors, anybody onto our campus with our new entrance.”
He also talked of the campus master plan report, and new buildings that were proposed–both research and academic spaces where there are main areas for students, a little North and West of the Student Union.
Then, Chief of Staff Rylee Sabo, said that there would be Narcan placed inside of different buildings on campus. Narcan is a medicine that is given to treat opioid overdoses.
“It’s going to be placed in residence halls, the Student Union, athletic facilities and the Performing Arts Center,” said Sabo.
The Veterans Affairs Resource Center is partnering with the Miller Wellness Center and the Office of Student Activities to bring ‘Warrior Week’ from Feb. 26 – March 2. The week brings activities for students related to wellness, mental health and self-care.
At the University Program Council (UPC) there are currently eight positions open to join the organization until March 7.
“It’s a great opportunity to plan events for the entire student body,” said Allisa Mauer, Vice President of UPC. They are each paid positions at $1,250 per semester.
Coming up, UPC will host ‘Generational Trivia Night’ on Monday, March 3 from 6 to 8 p.m.
The Parking Committee met and discussed that the new residential lot near the Southeast University Apartments will begin construction in the spring. The parking spaces open to students in the parking lot by Daktronics will return to reserved parking spaces once construction is finished.
The University Food Service Administrative Committee (UFSAC) said that Qdoba will be available on the Starship app and Simple Servings will be only located at the Student Union, no longer at Larson Commons. This was due to equipment failing at Larson Commons.
Senator Lydia Stein reported that at a meeting for the International Affairs Committee where members of China Night expressed concerns about working with Sodexo on-campus, the university’s food service vendor, and said they would possibly move events to be off-campus if Sodexo does not cooperate.
Announcements
Bentz will lead the next SA meeting on Monday, March 3.
