Since 1914, UNC Greensboro’s Student Government Association (SGA) has made an impact on the campus community by serving as a voice for the student body.
This year has presented an entirely new challenge for SGA: How can you engage and advocate for students during a socially-distanced semester?
When senior political science major Austin Moore ran for SGA president last year, he saw it as an opportunity to advocate for his fellow Spartans and get their needs met and voices heard. It would also get him one step closer to his dream job of working in a congressional office in D.C. after graduation.
He had no idea a global pandemic would transform the campus community just months later.
But he didn’t back down from the challenge. Instead, he and his SGA colleagues have aligned their platform to meet the needs of students during this unprecedented time. That platform is to serve, educate, and provide an experience to students through community initiatives.
To serve students, SGA is listening to their academic and student affairs concerns. Moore acts as a liaison between students and administrators. He brings those concerns to the attention of administrators and sits on the UNCG Board of Trustees as a voting member for students.
SGA realizes that communication and transparency are vital now that the campus community is largely connected virtually, and the trajectory of the pandemic is constantly changing. This is why Moore and his colleagues are making sure students are staying updated and informed during these uncertain times.
And most of all, SGA wants to provide Spartans with a full, well-rounded college experience this year, regardless of the pandemic.
“This is a stressful time for students. Myself and all of us on SGA feel those same concerns. With so many things canceled, virtual, or socially-distanced, it can be hard to feel as though you are part of our Spartan community. We want to help provide as much of that full college experience to students as possible.”
To achieve this, Moore encourages Spartans to get involved – and he is leading by example as a resident advisor in Moore-Strong Residence Hall, helping first-year students make their transition into college.
“I really recommend that Spartans try to get involved any way that they can – whether that’s meeting a student organization through a Zoom call, hanging out with your peers in a small, socially-distanced group, speaking with your resident advisor, or even joining SGA. Get connected as much as possible. That way you can have that well-rounded experience that college life is all about.”
To learn more about SGA, visit sga.uncg.edu and follow @uncgsga98 on Instagram. Additionally, students are invited to meet with Moore during his office hours Monday-Friday on the third floor of the EUC from 12:30-1:30 p.m., or virtually by request.
Story by Alexandra McQueen, University Communications
Photography by Jiyoung Park, University Communications
Videography by Grant Evan Gilliard, University Communications