With the start of a new school year, new Student Government President John Bradley is looking to the future.

Addressing campus issues and getting more students involved are just a few of the goals SGA is prepared to meet under Bradley’s leadership.

“The first and foremost goal is to keep the cost of education low at Western,” Bradley said.

With last spring’s announcement of ideas to construct a Greek Village, how the university will finance the project’s land development cost poses some worry.

“We’re concerned administration will pass along fees to the whole student body, which we don’t feel is appropriate,” Bradley said.

Jessica Martin, vice president for administration, said she hopes students will voice their opinions on the Greek Village.

“This is an issue that students are going to have to be heard loud and clear,” Martin said. “We [SGA] can only do so much.”

Student involvement is something Martin said is always needed because the faculty and administration won’t know what the students want otherwise.

“The majority of the population, which is non-Greek, should not have to pay for the portion that is Greek,” she said.

Other issues SGA plans to focus on include increasing accessibility on campus and addressing discrimination policies, Bradley said.

The first forum SGA will hold this semester will focus on campus safety.

“Since last semester, campus safety has been a big issue,” he said.

Bradley served on the Campus Safety Task Force that was established over the summer after the death of Pellville freshman Katie Autry.

Despite low turnout at some of the forums SGA held last year, Bradley said he is still pleased with the attendance.

“It was just important letting them know that SGA is a viable organization.”

An SGA Ambassador Council has been created to get more people aware and involved in campus government.

“We will be visiting student organizations weekly to inform them of what SGA is doing and how the university is functioning,” he said.

A booth was set up during a MASTER Plan fair last week where students could get membership applications.

The first congress meeting of the semester will be held at 5 p.m. on Aug. 26 in Downing University Center room 305.

“At the first meeting we like to introduce new members to parliamentary procedures and get new members acquainted,” said Abby Lovan, vice president of public relations.

Bradley said an update on internal and external events over the summer, the hiring of a new office associate and approving his appointments will also be on the agenda at next Tuesday’s meeting.

Reach Lindsey Reed at [email protected]