CSGA Encourages Transparency Between Students, Board Members

The Chaminade Student Government Association (CSGA) hosted the semester’s first town hall meeting on Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. under the Zuberano Lawn tent. Students were encouraged to share their concerns or questions with the members of CSGA. 

Josephine Iose, CSGA executive president, said this meeting was for students to have open conversations with board members. 

“We can’t do anything without hearing the voices of the students,” said Iose, fourth-year Psychology major who is minoring in Forensic Science. “I appreciate all the students that came out and went out of their way to attend this and talk to people because I know it’s really hard to get out of your comfort zone, especially because of Covid, but the fact that they came out and wanted to have a conversation, that helps us understand where we stand with them because of the fact that we want to be as transparent as possible.”

Students were split into four groups with two CSGA members in the groups. The CSGA members conducted their own meeting, or officer reports, for the first half of the town hall.

About 20 students attended the event and Domino’s pizza was provided.

When the board members concluded their officer reports, students were able to grab a slice of pizza. As students ate the pizza in their groups, the two CSGA members in each group encouraged students to come forward with concerns or questions. If students didn’t have anything to say, board members reinstated that they were always there to help students with any future needs. 

Iose said every Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. the board gets together to have board member meetings and explained that the board was excited to open up their weekly meetings to students on Tuesday because they wanted students to understand what goes on in their meetings, especially if students were interested in being involved with student government.  

Trever Ross, first-year International Relations major, said he came to this meeting to meet more students around campus.

“I think it’s super important for students to come to meetings like this at Chaminade because it really gets them involved in the school,” said Ross, freshman senator for CSGA. “For any changes they want, no change is too small or too big, well some of them might be too big, but it just gets them involved and makes them feel like they have a voice and like there’s so many people here to listen and help out with anything that they need.”

With the fall semester coming to a close, CSGA is reaching out to students to hear their perspectives and see what they can do to help the student body. Whether it’s a program you’d want to see implemented, tuition problems, or other issues, the executive board members invite you to come speak with them at the CSGA office, which is located outside the Vi & Paul Loo Center, facing Henry Hall.

CSGA has yet to schedule the next town hall meeting, but Iose said that during the spring semester CSGA is going to try to make it a regular activity for students to participate in and will try to adapt to how many students attend each meeting.