Student Government to bring students to the capitol in the spring among other improvements

Ben Croat and Sayri Colindres, Student Government president and vice president, said they are bringing in new improvements for the school year after running unopposed in the spring. Their major policies include advocating for Truman State University at the Missouri state capitol and focusing on accessibility on campus. Student Government also plans to become more active in University events, such as Homecoming and Truman Week. 

Croat said the University previously had a program to bring students to the state capitol in order to advocate for the University. Croat said the Student Government is currently working to return the program, especially after recent educational funding tensions. 

“I think it’s really important that we as student leaders advocate for ourselves at the capitol,” Croat said. “That’s something we have the power to do … [We want to] have a more active role and [share the] vision of Truman State from the perspective of the students to the actual Missouri government.”

The Student Government worked over the summer to prepare for the upcoming school year. Croat said student leaders were brainstorming changes they wanted to see within the Student Government’s standing rules, within the Student Government’s constitution and across campus. 

Colindres and Croat said they plan to prove ADA Compliance as well. Colindres said ADA compliance was discussed previously in Student Government and that Student Government will work to implement it. 

“[Our past president] was passionate about [ADA compliance],” Colindres said, “We’re going to make sure they get implemented into the residence halls and places that really need them.”

Student Government previously reviewed campus facilities on campus to find that some areas are not ADA compliant. Croat said there were several areas on campus that were not ADA compliant. 

Croat said he ran to bring improvements to the Student Government. Croat previously served as the vice president, and Colindres was the previously Diversity and Inclusion Chair.

“I had a vision of where I wanted to improve moving forward, how I wanted to improve the connection to the stand body [and] how I will improve our inner operating procedures,” Croat said. “That was kind of my basis for running.”

Croat said the Student Government moved to campus on Aug. 11 in order to participate in Truman Week. Croat said Student Government plans to be more active in student events. 

Student Government accomplishes their goals through their committee structure. Colindres said Student Government held meetings in the spring about their goals, expectations and timelines for implementation. Croat said Student Government has the longest student-written constitution of any registered student organization on campus, which contains standing rules on the allocation of student fees, such as athletics fees.