Throughout the Student Government Association meeting, senators heard from the founders of GRIT, Spiritual Development leaders and housing services, as well as voted on one internal proposal.

Associate dean of spiritual development Lisa Igram, junior cinema and media arts major Celeste Scott and graduate assistant for student orientation services Sarah Schwartz shared about the new women’s resource blog, GRIT, available online where female students can become empowered and grow in confidence. They also hope female students will develop gifting, resilience, insight and tenacity. Beyond the blog, the team wants to partner with events already happening for women on campus, such as Woven Conference.

Senators also heard from the dean of Spiritual Development Todd Pickett and Igram on a review of the chapel programs offered and how to better communicate these programs with students. After discussing which chapels have impacted the senators during their time at Biola, senators asked about the differences between spiritual development, pastoral care and counseling, with the main differences being the personal level one wants to go into and the time commitment required. Senators also shared how chapels could include more diversity in worship music.

Lastly, housing manager Heidi Herchelroath reviewed the housing selection process occurring in March. She discussed the different times for male and female students living in the same dorm next year, March 23 and 24 respectively, as well as the any hall selection time on March 27. All of the housing selection times begin at noon, with those 20 and older receiving priority. Herchelroath discussed these things to prepare the senators for answering questions at SGA Hour on this topic.

PROPOSALS

SGA vice president of marketing and communications Gisselle Trochez proposed for a constitutional amendment in order to change the titles and roles of the vice president of marketing and communications into vice president of community relations and the communications coordinator to marketing coordinator. As SGA senior vice president Sam Jackson discussed last week, the changes will hopefully allow for a better distribution of work.

VOTING

After voting to have a same day vote, Trochez’s constitutional amendment proposal passed with a vote of 14-0-1.