This group, made up exclusively of SDSU students, works hard to voice the opinions of the university’s students to better their experience.

SA is comprised of 30 elected senators from each of the university’s colleges, such as Arts & Science, Pharmacy, etc., and a few at-large positions. In that group of 30, two are the president and vice president. From this group of senators, six are then chosen to be part of the executive board that runs the organization.

Becoming a part of SA requires being elected in March for positions open for each college on the SDSU campus. At-large positions, however, can be filled at nearly any time throughout the year. With so many different and unique voices in SA, the opportunity to see projects come out of SA is a no-brainer.

SA President Mark York, a member since 2010, said the organization helps students find their voice in the university system.

“We work on projects to better the student experience by working with SDSU administration, the Board of Regents, Brookings City Council and the state legislature,” York said.

SA was most recently a part of a Brookings City Council decision that will bring Buffalo Wild Wings to Brookings. The group created a poll for SDSU students listing restaurant choices and Buffalo Wild Wings was SDSU’s top choice.

This year the SA senators have some important goals to discuss and accomplish.  First on their list is the expansion of the Wellness Center and the Performing Arts Center. The second most important goal for this year’s senators involves each of the student groups on campus. President York says SA senators plan to meet with each active student group once per semester to update the student organization list and to see what each group wants done to better the student experience.

Aside from the long list of projects the senators operate around campus, they also work with the university to help decide what foods are going to be served on campus, graduation requirements and other aspects of the Wellness Center.

“Every senator ran on different goals, so I am excited to help them out with those goals and to mediate and facilitate those goals to make them more successful,” said SA Vice President Anthony Sutton.

SA can be a very good opportunity for a student at SDSU. According to Sutton, the organization has made him who he is today and has created unique opportunities to better his career at SDSU.

“Being part of the SA creates a chance to understand the university and how SDSU operates in its role of creating relationships between the administration and students,” Sutton said.

“SA is here for every student on campus and to represent their voice as best as we can.  We love it when people come visit us in the office,” Arts and Sciences senator Brooke Reiner said.

SA meetings are on Monday nights at 7 p.m. in the Lewis & Clark Room in The Union and are open to all SDSU students.

SDSU President David Chicoine was chosen to represent SDSU as part of the NCAA Presidential Advisory Group.

President David Chicoine is now representing the Summit League on the NCAA Presidential Advisory Group, beginning this year.

The group, formerly led by Chancellor Charles Bantz of Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, is a collection of 20 college and university presidents and chancellors that provide input and direction to the NCAA Board of Directors. It is also the most influential group in the governance of Division I.

League Commissioner Tom Douple said the group has been in existence for approximately 15 years and primarily discusses issues that face Division I athletics.

“I am honored to represent SDSU and the Summit League with my appointment to the PAG,” Chicoine said. “It is our obligation as presidents or chancellors to provide leadership to the governance process of the NCAA.”

Chicoine said it is almost a common practice for university presidents to serve on the board.

“This appointment is a responsibility that all presidents and chancellors of Division I schools will probably go though at some point in their career,” he said.

The Summit League decided Chicoine would be a good choice for the position because of his 11 years as faculty athletics representative at the University of Illinois. The executive committee nominated Chicoine in March 2011, a nomination he accepted.

Specifically, the PAG includes one president or chancellor from each of the 20 Division I and Football Championship Subdivision conferences, seven of which are current conference representatives on the board of directors.

“Being front and center in providing direction to the board of directors makes all of the members really want to do a good job to represent their conference and school in the best light possible and to better the NCAA as a whole,” said Chicoine.

The appointment offers no compensation and appointees are required to attend four meetings throughout the year, two through teleconferencing and the remaining at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind.

According to Douple, Chicoine’s experience in athletics made him the most qualified candidate.

“President Chicoine will provide a great benefit to the League by providing a voice at the table on our behalf on matters which affect the League and in turn SDSU,” Douple said. “We, the Summit League, are very pleased to have his representation.”

Along with his new appointment on the PAG, Chicoine will begin a two-year term as a chair of the Summit League’s Council of Presidents.

The department hopes to increase the support of SDSU’s athletic teams.

The SDSU athletic department and a select group of student leaders are now working together to better connect the department with students.

The group, currently called a student advisory council for the athletic director, is under the direction of Senior Associate Athletic Director Leon Costello. Costello joined the SDSU athletic department in March 2010 and is now using his position to help figure out the wants and needs of all students on campus.

“As a department, we have seen the lack of student participation at games and competitions, so we realize we are not connecting with the student population at some level,” Costello said. “By gathering a select group of student leaders from around campus we hope to learn what the students expect from the department.”

The group is made of nine student leaders that were suggested to Costello by campus leaders, faculty and staff.

The students represent five campus organizations: Residential Life, University Program Council, the Students’ Association, the Rabbit’s Den and student athletes.

Being in the early stages of development, the group has met twice and has yet to implement any plans or projects to further the athletic department’s outreach to students.

Shad Christman, a junior speech communication and political science major, is one of the nine members.

“So far, we have only had informational meetings to learn about the athletic department and the direction in which it is going,” Christman said. “A few student concerns have been expressed, and a few ideas have been thrown around about how to better reach out to the students. However, none of the ideas are quite solid yet.”

Costello said the group has looked into projects that range from a football stadium expansion to tailgating changes to many other ideas. He stressed that the group mostly revolves around getting the word out to students through any means possible.

The group meets once a month. Costello said that although the group only has nine members, a great cross-section of the student population will be represented if the group members bring back suggestions from their friends and classmates.

“As an athletic department the worst thing we can do is not listen to the students,” Costello said. “By having an avenue to ask students, and not just student athletes, the questions to improve the department, we can better plan for the future.”