lack Out ‘05 SGA puts final touches
on weekend of activities
The Student Government Association Senate put final touches on their big
weekend plans by passing two pieces of legislation Tuesday night, focusing
on the black and blue football game and transportation for residents.
SGA Vice President Lyndsey Jalvia, a junior deaf education major, said
senators voted 26 to 1 to declare Nov. 19 as Southern Miss Black Out Day, in
honor of the Southern Miss vs. Memphis game. They also voted 26 to 1 to
reinstate Varsity Express, a shuttle system transporting residents to dorms
after moving their cars Friday night in preparation for the football game.
In other business, Jalvia announced plans to host a ceremony next week to
present 10 student organizations with the $200 they applied to receive last
year. She said a final date will be announced.
“There are a lot of things we want to do, and my senators are a great
group of people who really do want to make a change on our campus,” she
said. “I was pleased to see we had more senators at this meeting.”
Senator Shannon Davis, a junior nursing major and representative for the
College of Health, presented the legislation for Southern Miss Black Out
Day, which corresponds with black out t-shirts being sold for the event.
“We want to intimidate our opponents and create a long lasting tradition
of Black Out Day on Campus,” she said.
SGA Executive Director of Student Programming Vince Fabra, a sophomore
speech communications major, said all proceeds from the t-shirt sales will
be given to the Southern Miss Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund created by the
Southern Miss Foundation.
“We discussed having a shirt for the student section last year with the
athletic department and we decided to do it this year,” he said. “Basically,
we want to black out the entire student section on game day and decrease our
opponents chances of winning.”
Fabra said the SGA decided giving profits to the relief fund would be a
good way to help students in need. He said the SGA purchased 2,400 shirts
for over $14,000 from former SGA president Jared Loftus' business in Baton
Rouge, La.
Fabra said approximately 1,450 shirts have been sold and will be on sale
for $10 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hub Thursday and Friday. The shirts
will also be sold on game day, at the District, Hub and Payne Center.
“We are footing the bill for these shirts,” he said. “But it's a good way
for us to give back and help our students.”
Senator At-large Neal Kirby, a senior political science major, said he
wanted to help students by reinstating the Varsity Express for Saturday's
game.
“Residents are required to move their cars to open zone lots for home
football games,” he said. “Basically, the Varsity Express is a 15-passenger
van that takes residents back to their dorms so they don't have to walk
alone at night.”
Kirby said the Varsity Express will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and
will be staffed by the Freshman Associates. Some senators questioned if
finding staffers would be a problem since Eaglepalooza is Friday night.
Kirby said he thought people would be available at different times and
did not foresee problems.
“This has always worked well in the past,” he said. “Freshman Associates
has been great in providing assistance.”
Senators asked when the shuttle system began and why it had not been used
this semester. Kirby said it had offered to residents for at least the past
three years, but he did not know why it had not been offered this semester.
“Other than the hurricane, I don't know why it hasn't been running,” he
said. “That's something you need to ask the president.”
SGA president Jonathan Krebs, a senior political science major, was not
at the meeting, but did comment Wednesday on Eaglepalooza.
He said problems such as stage location, alcohol sales, noise levels and
parking concerns that were addressed in the Nov. 11 issue of the Hattiesburg
American have been finalized.
“We've taken care of all those issues,” he said. “It was difficult at
first, but we were able to compromise.”
Krebs said the stage will be located on Main Street, Mugshots and
restaurants will be selling alcohol, the concert will run from 6 p.m. to
midnight and certain parking lots have been designated for Eaglepalooza.
Krebs said two buses and two trolleys will begin transporting students
from the Freshman Quad to Downtown beginning at 5 p.m.
“We're hoping to cut down on the number of students who have to drive to
Downtown,” he said. “We want to alleviate anything we can.”
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