Written by Carly Kester
Recently, the SA has been working on service projects, Homecoming activities and ways to better communicate with students.
One of the main focuses of the SA is developing the new SA fanpage on Facebook. It will have the SA members’ names and e-mail addresses, a place for students to leave comments and receive feedback, a calendar and videos shown in chapel.
The new fanpage will make it easier for students to contact the members and will let students know What is going on around campus as far as service projects and events, according to SA president Bryan Clifton.
The fanpage is currently up and running on Facebook, so students can join at any time.
The SA has also been working with Aramark to create a survey for students to rate and give feedback on the service in the cafeteria and student center.
Aramark agreed to help the SA with the survey because it is beneficial to them to receive suggestions from students, Aramark Retail Manager George Strachan said.
“It tells us where we’re strong, where we’re weak, things we need to improve on,” Strachan said. “It keeps us in tune with the students and what they want, and sometimes they see things we don’t.”
The survey will consist of some questions from the old surveys, such as cost, quality, variety, options, value, speed or service and cleanliness, along with some new questions. Specific questions are unknown.
How quickly the suggestions can be put into place depends on the changes people want to make.
“We can always adjust the menus quickly, but there’s a question on the survey about the student center, and those kinds of adjustments could take maybe a year to get implemented depending on what they are,” Strachan said.
Strachan also said that good service should be standard, and if there is anything Aramark can change to make personal service, cleanliness or quality of food better, they are willing to do it.
Aramark does one survey every semester and will do the online survey in addition to the ones it has in the cafeteria if it gets enough feedback.
A problem the SA has been trying to tackle is the parking difficulties around campus, but changes will not be made anytime soon.
“You have to balance overnight lots, off-campus and faculty and administration spaces,” Clifton said. “You can’t take away any of them unless there are excess spaces, and there currently are none.”
Two service projects the SA is planning this semester are Saving Soles and Trunk-or-Treat.
Saving Soles is a nonprofit organization whose aim is to provide shoes to Christians in the Philippines. Shoes are donated to the organization, and a Bible is sent along with every pair that is delivered. When this service project will be held is still being debated.
Trunk-or-Treat is a Halloween service project designed for children in Searcy. Kids will go trick-or-treating in the parking lot by the football field. Volunteers will decorate their trunks and fill them with candy for kids to take.
College Church of Christ, Downtown Church of Christ and campus ministries will be assisting. The SA is looking for more help, so students are welcome to volunteer. It will be held Oct. 31 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., after the Homecoming football game.
Another activity the SA has planned for later in the semester is a dodgeball tournament. It will be based off of the movie “Dodgeball,” and students can sign up as teams with the theme of their choice. The tournament will be held Nov. 14.
