Marshall University’s Student Government Association set a new inauguration date, discussed minority representation within the organization and celebrated International Women’s Day during Tuesday’s meeting.

SGA advisors Matt James and Michelle Barbour spoke to the senate about important schedule changes. According to James and Barbour, the inauguration for the upcoming student body president and vice president will be April 24 at 2 p.m. at the President’s Home, rather than April 17 as previously scheduled.

Additionally, the first student senate meeting of session #74 will be moved back from April 19 to April 26 at 4 p.m.

Barbour raised a concern with the lack of INTO Marshall students filing for student government positions. Currently, there are two open senate seats for INTO Marshall students with no students competing to receive them.

“We do not have any INTO students who are on the ballot,” Barbour said. “I know we worked hard last year to get those two seats, so we don’t want that to not happen this year.”

Barbour said chief of staff Cody Hatter will be talking to INTO student engagement coordinator Kenny Jones about this issue. Barbour also asked the senate to assist in finding two INTO students to fill the seats.

James said improving Marshall’s LGBT Office should be a central point of focus for the newly elected student body president and the senate in the upcoming session.

“If we’re going to have an office and we’re going to offer a resource, we need to truly offer a resource,” James said. “Just the impression it gets is that we have them literally hidden in the basement and we don’t even staff the office.”

The senate recognized International Women’s Day by recalling significant women figures in their lives. Senator Lora Walker commended women for taking positions that men have historically dominated. Walker also praised the women participating in student government.

“Shout out to all the women here because they’re in SGA,” Walker said.

Hatter addressed the senate, asking them to attend events to support a child from his church diagnosed with leukemia. Events include a April 9 5k at Barboursville Park and a May 7 blood drive from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fellowship Baptist Church on Route 6.

“They kind of live out in a small town, church area,” Hatter said. “There’s not a lot of people out there, so I thought ‘What best could we do than have SGA go to all of these events?’”

The senate also passed a bill funding Marshall Pediatrics Entertainment Program. Additionally, the senate moved funding bills for MU Smash and Alpha Phi Omega to the finance committee.

Jared Casto can be contacted at [email protected].