About 60 students came Tuesday night to the first Student Government Association meeting of the year, this time in the Clark Student Center Comanche Suite instead of their old venue, CSC Shawnee.

SGA President Rebecca Stogner, political science pre-law junior, said she hoped the new format would encourage more discussion than in previous meetings.

“We wanted to even the playing field. Here you can’t sit far apart, you have to sit within two chairs of each other, so we hope everyone works together and even collaborates,” Stogner said. “There are microphones spread out so people don’t have to get up in front of everyone to say something if they don’t want to.”

Stogner said her main goal as president is to increase engagement with students by gathering more feedback. At last night’s meeting, Clara Latham, university librarian, spoke about changes to Moffett Library, and Stogner said she will help gather student input on the changes.

“A lot of people don’t come to the meetings but they use the portal, like with the elections, so we’re going to take the main points of their talk and put it in a poll on the portal,” Stogner said. “Then we can take it and say, ‘this many people want this,’ and give them some feedback.”

Matthew Park, dean of students and adviser to SGA, said Stogner’s goals are noble, but the SGA needs to refine those goals before they can be implemented.

“I agree with them though, in the sense that it’s an important year when we talk about the very initial phases of maybe some major facilities planning and then simultaneously looking for a new presidential search. So I want to see them establish themselves as a voice for the students, as a positive but also a constructive voice,” Park said. “They need to refine their goals so that they are mutually understood and communicable, in other words so they can share them and people can get behind them.”

First SGA Meeting of 2014

Student Government meets in the Clark Student Center Comanche Suite Tuesday.

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At the first meeting for the Student Government Association on Tuesday night, ,Jane Tran, nursing senior, ask Kevin Bazar, assistant student and orientation director, a question on upcoming events. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

At the first meeting for the Student Government Association on Tuesday night, ,Jane Tran, nursing senior, ask Kevin Bazar, assistant student and orientation director, a question on upcoming events. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

At the first meeting for the Student Government Association on Tuesday night, ,Jane Tran, nursing senior, ask Kevin Bazar, assistant student and orientation director, a question on upcoming events. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

Jesse Brown, junior in criminal justice and business, and Matt Milholloe, junior in finance converse during the Student Government Association's first meeting Tuesday night. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

Jesse Brown, junior in criminal justice and business, and Matt Milholloe, junior in finance converse during the Student Government Association's first meeting Tuesday night. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

Jesse Brown, junior in criminal justice and business, and Matt Milholloe, junior in finance converse during the Student Government Association's first meeting Tuesday night. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

The Student Government Association had their first meeting Tuesday night where senators and faculty spoke on the upcoming events and the renovations that have taken place around campus. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

The Student Government Association had their first meeting Tuesday night where senators and faculty spoke on the upcoming events and the renovations that have taken place around campus. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

The Student Government Association had their first meeting Tuesday night where senators and faculty spoke on the upcoming events and the renovations that have taken place around campus. Photo By Yasmin Persaud

Students wait for the first Student Goverment Assocaition to start Tuesday night in the Clark Student Center Comanche Suite.

Students wait for the first Student Goverment Assocaition to start Tuesday night in the Clark Student Center Comanche Suite.

Students wait for the first Student Goverment Assocaition to start Tuesday night in the Clark Student Center Comanche Suite.

Deborah Garrison, associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of graduate school, gestures to another professor to talk about the ongoing changes to the library. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Deborah Garrison, associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of graduate school, gestures to another professor to talk about the ongoing changes to the library. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Deborah Garrison, associate vice president for academic affairs and dean of graduate school, gestures to another professor to talk about the ongoing changes to the library. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Student Government meets in the Clark Student Center Comanche Suite Tuesday.

Jesse Brown, junior in criminal justice and business, talks to student senators at the first Student Government Association meeting Tuesday night about the plans to beautify the school, build a dorm and a parking garage. Brown is the student regent appointed by Governor Rick Perry. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Jesse Brown, junior in criminal justice and business, talks to student senators at the first Student Government Association meeting Tuesday night about the plans to beautify the school, build a dorm and a parking garage. Brown is the student regent appointed by Governor Rick Perry. Photo by Lauren Roberts

Jesse Brown, junior in criminal justice and business, talks to student senators at the first Student Government Association meeting Tuesday night about the plans to beautify the school, build a dorm and a parking garage. Brown is the student regent appointed by Governor Rick Perry. Photo by Lauren Roberts