The Student Government Association is getting ready for election time and with this comes a hope for new members and fresh ideas.  
Members spoke a lot at the Feb. 6 meeting about bringing new faces into the SGA, even making a bullet point on the agenda to talk about “Bring a friend to SGA day.” The thought is that if members bring a friend to a meeting, it might spike some interest in them to join.  
The SGA is also trying to change its constitution by stating that in order to apply for an executive position, such as president, executive vice president, treasurer, vice president of academics and student director of activities you will have to spend an entire semester as a delegate or a student at large.  
Erica Bilodeau, vice president of academics, welcomes the change to the constitution.
“I think that it’s necessary.  Until now, there have been three copies of the constitution.  It has left room for conflicting policies and procedures,” Bilodeau said with a pause. “Now everyone can be on the same page when it comes to the SGA carrying out its activities.”
Delegate Tim Mackintosh shares the same enthusiasm about the change in the constitution.
“This change requires that students play a serving role as a SGA delegate before they take a more serious role, thus weeding out the interested versus the driven,” Mackintosh said.
But any student interested in joining, whether for delegate or an executive position, will need 25 signatures on top of filling out the application, which is due Feb. 22.
    In other news, delegate Colleen Kunz has been trying to find an approved location for Castleton State College to install a redemption center on campus.  Her thoughts are that when a student hands in bottles, they will get a slip that can be exchanged for money.
    Another delegate, Catherine Wielgasz, is trying to inspect and make sure all the “blue lights” are working on campus. A  few of them have notes on them saying “out of order” and the SGA wonders when and if they will ever be fixed.  
    The SGA also discussed trying to find ways to decrease the number of students drinking and causing trouble in the community.  Mackintosh is also trying to get magnetic signs to go on the “Safe Ride” van so people will be aware of what they’re looking for when they’re pulling up to bars and parties.  He is also trying to get another fleet van running as a second Safe Ride van so they can be more efficient and help more people.