The SGA approved a rules proposal for the new Borrow-a-Bike program and discussed other important topics at its meeting on Monday, Sept. 28. Jill Haarsma, event planner of last spring’s Day of Learning, received a $1,000 grant to fund the bike program as part of a Creation Care Project. Northwestern has already acquired four bikes, but before the program can begin, Haarsma requested that the SGA establish rules for the program.
According to the SGA’s proposal, the purpose of this program is “to encourage Northwestern to use an alternative form of transportation that is friendly to the environment as well as cost-friendly.” The proposal suggests the Audio Visual department in the LRC as the location for checking out the bikes. Students will be able to check out the bikes from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., and the bikes must be returned within 24 hours of being checked out.
Any student who checks out a bike will receive a key to unlock the bike. All bikes will be parked in a bike rack outside of VPH, across from Zwemer parking lot. If any damage occurs to the bike while checked out, the student who checked out the bike will be charged. A hold will be placed on the student’s account until the fine is paid. The SGA also decided to look into buying helmets to go with the bikes.
At the meeting, the SGA also discussed the student feedback they received during the past week about NW’s general education requirements. Last week, professor Elizabeth Truesdell, a member of the General Education Taskforce, requested that the SGA ask students, “What do you like about your general education program, and how could it be made better?”
SGA members received several suggestions from students, including eliminating the third semester of the language requirement and having the general education courses count toward major requirements. They will now give the suggestions to Truesdell, who will then present them to the Taskforce.
In addition, the SGA voted to elect junior Jacob Peterson and sophomore Emma Lundgren as the student representatives on the Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) and the Admissions, Honors and Retentions Committee, respectively.
Senior Davina Ramasamy, another student representative on the AAC, gave an update on the Denver, Col., Urban Semester, a new semester-long study program NW is looking into implementing next fall.
The SGA also decided to revoke its earlier proposal that would request the addition of a student representative on the Strategic Planning Committee.
