On Tuesday, September 9, 2025, Student Government Association Vice President, Bryman Willams, called to order the second senate meeting of the semester.
The meeting began following usual procedure with each senator sharing announcements from their respective colleges. Announcements ranged from opportunities for free head shots, weekly student recitals, to the delay of hard copy nursing text books, and the start of ticketing unregistered vehicles– all relayed to an attentive and tranquil crowd.
When Vice President Williams opened the floor to public expressions, that same crowd became almost unrecognizable. Without letting the microphone get a break, one by one, passionate students voiced their concerns, questions, and testimonies. Some even served as brave advocates for their peers, such as junior sociology major, Joi Jones. Jones brought attention to the pitch black walk after sports games, and late classes, empathetically stating “Freshmen have late night classes now.” She was met with agreeing head nods from the crowd and promising steps towards solutions from the senate. Continuing down her agenda, Jones sparked murmurs and struck gasps after informing the delegation about alleged back and forth between a S.V. Totty hall resident and alum, as well as a possible administrator, in her TikTok comment section after posting a video of her dorm ceiling caving in. It is not rare when students take their unresolved issues to social media. However, Jones expressed “Me, and other students as well, think that’s a little inappropriate” referring to the unusual setting of the residents personal social media account.
Continuing the theme of advocacy, the newly elected college of business senator, sophomore Antanay Lee, spoke for her classmates. Expressing the hardship some students face in their business and economic statistics class due to a professor with a thick accent and monotone voice. She emphasized the matter, saying, “if you ever took statistics, you know that statistics is not easy.”
The pace kept steady and the topics kept precedent, ranging from unattended infestations, dumpsters placed inconveniently, rapid spread of Covid-19, and unfavorably parking circumstances. Despite negative subjects, the senate meeting was deemed a success.
Rodney Gandy jr, a junior majoring in pre veterinary medicine claims, “This is the best senate meeting we’ve had since my years of being at the senate meetings.” Gandy says two things brought him to such a claim: the rawness, saying, “I feel like everything was brought to the table, nobody held back.” and the inclusivity, adding, “At the senate meetings really people are scared to speak up on their issues and I was glad to see freshmen go up there and speak as well.”
Mechanical Engineering major, Chene Thompson , one of the freshmen Gandy was referring to who spoke, says it was an upper classman who encouraged him to come to the senate meeting and “the comforting atmosphere” inclined him to speak.
At 5:44 pm, Not only was the second senate meeting of the 2025-26 school year adjourned, but questions were answered, concerns met empathy, freshmen found comfort, and the bar for senate meetings to come was raised.