By Nicholas Bianco
Jambar Contributor
Youngstown State University’s Student Government Association had its fall 2024 election April 2 and 3. President Jordan Pintar and Executive Vice President Sofia Myers were re-elected.
Pintar and Meyer’s selected vice president for financial affairs, Francesco McElrath; vice president for public relations, Alyssa Oswald; and chief of staff, Rayvin Gorrell, assumed their positions following Pintar and Meyer’s reappointment.
Over 25 college representatives and academic senators were elected across the Williamson College of Business Administration; College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; Cliffe College of Creative Arts; Bitonte College of Health and Human Services; Beeghly College of Liberal Arts, Social Sciences and Education; and College of Graduate Studies.
Pintar said SGA plans to continue its 2023 initiatives for the 2024-2025 academic year, such as putting a commons area in the green space between DeBartolo Hall and Lincoln Avenue.
“We’re looking at getting a real green space proposal down pat,” Pintar said. “Over the summer is going to be a great time to finalize that.”
SGA plans bring Project DAWN to campus, an opioid overdose prevention program started by the Ohio Department of Health. DAWN stands for Deaths Avoided With Naloxone.
Pintar said Project DAWN will allow students to get CPR, Naloxone and automated external defibrillator training.
“Just bringing better training to begin with,” Pintar said. “We’ve been talking with some people from our health and human services department on campus.”
Pintar said SGA is looking to expand connections to Yogo Bike Share, an e-bike rental program in Youngstown.
“We’re going to look at what we can do to maybe bring them closer to campus so that students have access to those bikes,” Pintar said.
In addition to continuing support for the Penguin Pantry, SGA will be looking at ways to improve food insecurity on campus, such as adding more options in vending machines around campus.
According to Pintar, SGA discussed ways to expand the budget with YSU President Bill Johnson. While Johnson didn’t specify if he would help, Pintar said she is excited for what the future holds for the SGA.
“We have an administrative budget and a general budget. Our administrative budget is what runs all of our inner workings, and our general budget is what funds all of the student orgs,” Pintar said. “We’re looking to see what we can do to get some more money back to that, so that we can fund student organizations and events more.”
Pintar said Academic Senate positions and representative positions in the Cliffe College of Creative Arts and College of Graduate Studies still need filled.
Brayden Melia, SGA elections chair, said he was able to have an amendment passed that lowered the required hours needed for a student to serve in an executive student government position from 47 hours to 40.
“I noticed that there were a few requirements that didn’t seem fair, which revolved around the amount of credit hours required to hold an executive position on student government,” Melia said. “I wanted to expand opportunities for students.”
The executive board positions of parliamentarian, vice president for student life and vice president for assessment and enrichment will be decided during a meeting at 4 p.m. on April 22 in the Chestnut Room of Kilcawley Center.
Full results for the election can be seen on SGA’s Instagram page at @ysu_sga.