The WKU Student Government Association met for their weekly meeting on April 11 and presented legislation pertaining to terrarium funding, Mental Health Awareness Week and the combining of committees. 

It began by hosting a WKU alum discussing why you should have a LinkedIn account.

Jim DeCesare, a WKU alum, has spent 14 years at the Kentucky House of Representatives and is Senior Partner of DeCesare Group, LLC, a business which proposes strategies and solutions for small businesses. He served as guest speaker at the meeting to discuss the importance of LinkedIn, a social media app that focuses on building business relationships and employment.

“I will not do a $10 million deal with you by text, I will promise you,” DeCesare said. “ I’m gonna look you in the eye, I want to talk to you, so LinkedIn is a good way to make that initial introduction.” 

He also noted that there were 7,000 jobs available in Warren County, saying that “we can’t find enough people,” and that it goes through “all careers, whatever you wanna do you can find a job, and a good way to start is by getting on LinkedIn.” 

Speaker Julia Mischuk presented Bill 44-23-S, which is a constitutional amendment that would merge Community Relations with Outreach, as they “do a lot of the same stuff.” Mischuk said this would make a “stronger and much more engaging committee” and “it would combine the brain power and have some really strong legislation next year.” 

Mischuk also claimed that due to low membership, this action would increase membership across other committees in the next year. The bill was passed and will be in effect in the 2023-24 school year.

Bill 45-23-S, which would fund terrariums, was presented by Senator-at-Large Will Hemenover. The bill requested $62 to supply moss, pebbles and plotting soil for the terrariums, which would be given across campus. 

He also stated that this would be a “opportunity for students to make them at the table so we [SGA] could talk to them, whether it’s about SGA or literally anything.” Hemenover further stated that the terrarium is “like the keyhole to how an ecosystem works.” The bill was passed.

Bill 46-23-S funded for a list of events to be held during Mental Health Awareness Week, April 23 through 28. 

The list includes an Out of the Darkness Walk, held by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, on April 23 and a variety of other self-care and encouragement events. This bill was passed unanimously.

President Cole Bornefeld also stated that there were 44 applicants to SGA, as the election cycle for the next academic year is currently in progress.

SGA reporter Matthew Fulkerson can be reached at [email protected].