SGA works to get Preston Center guest passes

Sarah Stukenborg

The Student Government Association is currently working on creating a guest pass program for the Preston Center.

Bowling Green junior Keyana Boka, the executive vice president of SGA, came up with the idea for the Preston Center guest passes and is also using it as part of her campaign platform while running for president of SGA in the upcoming election.

“I first got the idea last semester,” Boka said.

Boka has been working on the idea with the director of Preston Center, as well as other management at the center.

“They are very supportive of it,” Boka said. “It’s pretty encouraging to hear the support.”

According to Boka, the guest pass program would allow all full-time WKU students to take up to two guests per visit to the Preston Center.

There is currently no limit on how many guest passes a student could acquire.

But Boka said changes could always be made to the program depending on how it goes once put into effect.

“Right now, it’s a pilot program,” Boka said.

Boka said that the idea came to her while she was the Campus Improvements chair for SGA during her sophomore year.

“I think it’s a great idea to promote the culture of good health on campus,” Boka said.

Boka also said students seem to share that opinion.

“A lot of students seem to be really interested in it, especially part-time students,” Boka said. “I look forward to seeing how it goes.”

Boka said the reason the passes would benefit part-time students is that they could go with full-time students, using a guest pass.

Lewisport sophomore Cain Alvey, administrative vice president of SGA and fellow campaigner for president, likes the idea of guest passes for Preston.

“I think the Preston guest passes is a good idea,” he said. “It’s something she’s (Boka) been working on for a long time.”

However, Alvey said that he is somewhat hesitant about the guest pass program because it calls for $3,050 out of SGA’s budget.

“My only fear is that it is an expensive measure,” Alvey said.

Alvey said he believes that it would be hard for SGA to afford such an expense. There is currently $4,500 left in the budget.

Boka said the $3,050 would account for 610 passes. If successfully passed, the guest pass program would go into effect at the start of the fall 2013 semester.

“It should be voted on two weeks from now,” Boka said.