Initiatives

In Fall 2024, SGA Communications launched a new website to provide students with key information about SGA's mission, history, structure, involvement opportunities, initiatives, and contact details. This website is an important step in making SGA more accessible, visible, and transparent to the student body. SGA aims to strengthen communication and engagement with students by centralizing this information online. The site will continue to be updated in phases, so stay tuned for more details on initiatives, meeting minutes, and additional resources!

SGA is gauging student feedback and concerns regarding Food Trucks and other Emory dining changes following Cox Dining Market's closure. Our student concerns team is working closely with Emory Dining to help transform these concerns into actionable change to provide affordable, desired, and flexible dining options during the times most convenient for the student body.

In the Fall of 2024, SGA established the Ad-Hoc Governing Documents Major Review and Amendment Committee to reform its governing documents. Updates to The Code of Elections were approved on December 2, 2024 — please refer to the updated document on the "Resources" page. The committee plans to present revisions to The Finance Code, The Rules and Procedures of the Student Legislature, and Judiciary branch documents at the SGA Legislative Session on January 27, 2025. You are encouraged to attend—visit the "Get Involved" page for details.

Future updates will include The Constitution of the Undergraduate Student Government Association of Emory University, The Code of the Student Government Association of Emory University, and the Executive Agency Governance Code. These updates are crucial, addressing long-overdue revisions to enhance SGA's efficiency and ability to serve the student body better. 

In the 58th SGA, all undergraduate students had the opportunity to vote on a referendum related to the Student Activity Fee. The Student Activity Fee (SAF) is collected each semester by the Student Government Association to distribute to student-run clubs and programs on campus. As a result of the Referendum, the $15 SAF increase received over 50% of the vote, and this change to the SAF will take effect in the 2025-2026 academic year. The second proposed policy aimed to implement an annual adjustment based on inflation rates beginning the 2026-2027 year, to ensure that the fee's purchasing power remains consistent over time. As a result of the Referendum, the SAF Inflation Adjustment received over 50% of the vote, and this change to the SAF will take effect in the 2026-2027 academic year.

SGA, divisional councils, and EAs continue to look at transitioning student organizations (except academic and pre-professional ones) to themed councils under SGA for better representation, funding flexibility, and administrative support. SGA has already begun restructuring by establishing the Belonging and Community Council (BCC) during the 57th SGA. The BCC has been successful in its first year of operation, funding various programs across identity and affinity organizations and supporting those student organizations.

As in previous years, Emory SGA is providing shuttle transportation to the Atlanta airport during key travel days. For Fall 2024, shuttles will be available for Thanksgiving and Winter Break, with additional dates planned for Spring 2025. Stay tuned for updates through SGA's communication channels. Students can sign up and choose from a range of shuttle times within a designated time frame.

This initiative aims to enhance connection between students and Atlanta by providing free transportation to key locations in the city. We hope to launch a pilot program in Spring 2025 to help students easily explore Atlanta. Keep an eye on SGA's communication channels for further updates.

The newly established Health Access Machine is committed to promoting students' well-being by ensuring access to health items. Resources include generic emergency contraceptives, over-the-counter pain medication, First Aid (like Band-Aids), and condoms. This machine will be operational starting January 2025.

In the Fall of 2024, Emory SGA helped to re-start the Sexual Assault Forum to Educate Greeks or S.A.F.E. Greeks. S.A.F.E. Greeks is a student-led initiative and collaboration between the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life, Office of Respect, and the Sexual Assault Peer Advocates. S.A.F.E. Greeks works with all four of the Greek councils to educate members of the Greek community about Sexual Assault and how they can be a part of the solution.

SGA is currently in the early stages of proposing that alcohol be served in an existing campus location (yet to be proposed) to members of the community over the age of 21. SGA believes bringing a place for beer and wine to be served to campus would foster a more interconnected and inclusive Emory between all students, faculty, and staff. The bar would also act as a hub for programming and community events. We are working to collect feedback about the idea of a bar and its impact on the community.

SGA formed an Ad-Hoc Open Expression Student Committee in the Fall of 2024 to bring student perspectives and input to Emory's revisions of the Respect for Open Expression policy (8.14). The OESC has hosted moderated dialogue sessions with stakeholders, listening sessions with various members of the community, and released a student input survey. The OESC will then use the students' input to formulate recommendations for university leadership.

FYC is a program that helps first-year students transition to Emory and understand SGA's role in leadership and advocacy. Members serve on four committees: Arts and Academics, Student Welfare, Programming, and DEIB. We hope FYC members will gain leadership skills, connect with mentors, access university administration, and stay engaged with SGA to continue their leadership journey across campus.

FYC members are currently working on initiatives to build community and support through Emory's infrastructure. These include the "Walks to Lullwater" initiative, "Cookies N' Canvas" feedback event, a Valentine's Day sweatshirt drop, and a Global Festival in collaboration with various clubs.

SGA's Vice Presidents of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging are working to increase inclusion to promote equitable engagement in student organizations, helping executive boards inclusively orchestrate recruitment for all students and provide guidelines for equitable selection.

The 57th SGA's Vice Presidents of Well-Being passed legislation requiring SAPA's Safe training for all clubs that receive SGA supplemental funding, and the 58th SGA is working to implement that requirement. These trainings provide club executive boards with training on providing informed support for survivors of interpersonal violence. These trainings will help create a more supportive and compassionate campus environment, and SGA looks forward to future collaborations with SAPA.

Over the Fall 2024 semester, the sustainability team has worked to expand the reusable takeout containers, USEFULL, to the Oxford campus and has added dividers per student requests. The team has also collaborated across a variety of groups to promote the reusable tumbler initiative, decreasing the presence of single use plastics on Emory's campus and offering coffee shop discounts. Finally, the team is working with Plastic Free Emory to bring reusable laundry machines to campus, allowing students to have access to cost-efficient, sustainable hygiene resources.

During the Fall 2024 semester, to ease the transition between the Oxford and Atlanta campuses, the Oxford-Atlanta Committee held an informative panel for Oxford continuees consisting of panelists representing pre-professional and other resources on the Atlanta campus. We are also adding improvements (such as the addition of common acronyms on the Atlanta campus) to the Welcome App, facilitating a club fair with Atlanta campus club representatives at Oxford, and planning a mentorship initiative to pair current Oxford students with Atlanta campus students.

SGA works with other internationally oriented organizations on campus to best represent and address the concerns of international students. Collecting data to support our decision-making is crucial to addressing their needs. Securing student housing over winter break, improving food security during campus breaks through shuttles and better dining hours, and improving campus-wide cultural awareness are all essential initiatives for the team this year.

With the intent of further acclimating and helping transfer students comfortably adjust to campus life, SGA has initiated efforts to integrate incoming transfers more seamlessly into traditional housing. This initiative aims to enhance their sense of belonging and encourage a supportive environment that promotes academic and social success.