Plans for library renovations, budgeting agreements and upcoming election decisions were all at the forefront of discussion at the Student Government Association’s (SGA) most recent meeting on Feb. 5.
The staff of the Miller-Nichols Library is currently in the process of planning renovations on the building’s fourth floor.
“The plan is that this would start after finals and commencement with the intersection between spring and summer semesters, and it would reopen in August of the next year,” said Dani Wellemeyer, the head of outreach and engagement at the Miller-Nichols Library.
This floor is currently known as the library’s “silent study” floor and the home of some of UMKC’s tutoring and academic support classrooms. However after renovations, the floor will focus on expanding the student support services and moving some other services that are currently available in the Atterbury Success Center.
The silent study area is moving to the second floor, where it will be updated through student involvement in the planning process to optimize the space.
Other renovations for these areas include new tables and seatings, laptop stations, new classrooms and other student-recommended improvements.
“As far as our library-fee focused funding opportunities, we are looking at staffing for our digital collaboration studio,” Wellemeyer said. “We have hired a head of digital scholarship services and a digital collaboration specialist.”
Next on the docket, a movement for compensation for SGA’s student senate and the First Year Counsel (FYC) was voted on and passed during this meeting.
Now, members of both organizations will be paid for the work they put into the school through their involvement in student government.
With compensation for the FYC comes added responsibilities. The council members will now be established as directors and will have summer preparations to ready them for their positions.
In addition, Adriana Paez was elected to be the new SGA Election Director during the meeting. Her duties in this position include working alongside the SGA’s advisor on marketing and executing the upcoming election, which will take place in the Spring.
The next SGA meeting is Feb. 19 in the SGA Chambers inside the Student Union at 6 p.m. All students are welcome to attend.
