The Student Government Association (SGA) passed a new resolution last week in hopes to bridge the communication gap between minority students on campus and the SGA. 

Resolution 50 calls for the creation of two Diversity, Equity and Inclusion student liaisons who will work directly with Demarcus Joiner, the vice president for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and his cabinet to communicate more effectively with students who feel underrepresented and unheard on campus. 

The resolution states:

WHEREAS, The University of Alabama is a distinguished institution comprised of 38,103 students of various races, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions and disabilities. 

WHEREAS, students have voiced that they feel underrepresented on The University of Alabama’s campus and have encouraged the Student Government Association to take more legislative and executive action. 

WHEREAS, effective communication with students who identify with minority groups on campus will help to improve upon our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. 

WHEREAS, it is the duty of the Student Government Association to serve the common interests expressed by students of all backgrounds. 

THEREFORE, be it RESOLVED, that the Student Government Association Senate encourages the creation of the positions of DEI Liaisons to bridge the communication gap between the Student Government Association and minority groups on campus.

“I felt like we weren’t actively seeking out what we can do, we were kind of waiting for students to come to us,” said Lindsey Stephenson, the senator of the College of Commerce and the author of the resolution.

The process by which the liaisons will be chosen has not yet been established, but the application will be open to all students on campus and will follow the blind application process that potential SGA members must go through. 

Other resolutions that were passed during the meeting will enact the distribution of test booklets to academic departments in Ten Hoor Hall, encourage updates to the 30-minute parking zones in the Ferguson Center surface lot and also look into updating the lighting and blue lights on campus, specifically around the Quad. 

You can view the full docket below: 

The next SGA meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 17, at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of the Ferguson Center. All students are welcomed and encouraged to attend.