Reporting Period for November 2024
Executive Summary
In November, SGA made substantial progress toward enhancing the academic experience and organizational efficiency while addressing key student concerns. Notable meetings included finalizing Spring 2025 election changes, formalizing a partnership with PRSSA to serve as the new Department of Communications, and advocating for financial transparency and improved housing cost visibility with University President Dr. Reynold Verret. Initiatives included launching new OptiSigns TV systems for mass communication, progressing cost-saving sustainability proposals, and advancing mental health initiatives, such as drafting a Wholistic Students' Wellbeing Policy.
Challenges included late communication regarding registration fees, budget constraints impacting SGA and RSOs, and delays in survey approvals. Despite these obstacles, projects like shuttle tracking and academic advising surveys made headway. Financially, SGA has spent $248,247.36 out of its $344,700.82 budget, leaving a balance of $96,453.46. Moving forward, I will focus on efficient fund allocation to maximize the impact of our remaining resources. While no major milestones were achieved this month, foundational work positions SGA for impactful outcomes in Spring 2025.
I. Meetings
1. SGA Executive Board Meeting: November 15, 2024
• Key Points Discussed:
▪ Finalized the proposed changes for the Spring 2025 Election. ▪ Finalized the logistics of Midnight Breakfast.
▪ Set the meeting dates for the Spring Semester.
2. Inter-Organizational Council Meeting: November 11, 2024
• Key Points Discussed:
▪ The passing of Executive Order 80.8, which can be found on xulasga.com. ▪ RSOs will be receiving a XULA email address.
▪ The Sociology Club and NOLA Bookworms were voted in as RSOs.
3. Student Body Meeting: November 12, 2024
• Key Points Discussed:
▪ I provided an update from my meeting with Dr. Verret, which can be found on page two.
▪ The parking garage is not open for use yet because they are trying to ensure its safety. I’m not
sure why this wasn’t factored into the timeline that we were given at the Town Hall, but VP Phillips stated that he is making sure that they have a police officer constantly in there, someone on staff to clean any leaked fluid, and ensuring that the top is barricaded.
4. Public Relations Student Society of America at Xavier: November 13 & 20
• Key Points Discussed:
▪ We have set up a permanent partnership between SGA and PRSSA, which will be treated as an
RSO through SGA in return for their services as our new Department of Communications.
▪ They will revamp the entire communications process for SGA and RSOs communicating through
SGA.
1 Drexel Drive • Box 117 • New Orleans, Louisiana 70125 • (504) 520-7367 • sgapres@xula.edu • www.xulasga.org
5. University President, Reynold Verret: November 5, 2024
• Key Points Discussed:
▪ Dr. Verret stated that he’ll work with his cabinet to ensure that updates regarding our student
account balances are being sent to us throughout the semester so that this registration issue
doesn’t arise again.
▪ He’s also trying to ensure that we’ll be able to see the cost of each housing option for next year
before we choose our housing.
6. Vice President of Student Affairs, Curtis Wright: November 18, 2024
• Key Points Discussed:
▪ My desired projects that require funding, such as improving our outdoor study spaces and a post-
call survey system.
▪ The shuttle trackers will be fully funded by his office and ready for students to test this week.
▪ He will set up a meeting with the Chief of Police to discuss SGA’s proposed policy for XUPD
presence at RSO events.
▪ A plan to potentially receive institutional aid to support student activities through the year.
7. University Comptroller, Ingenue' Schexnider-Fields & Curtis Wright: November 7, 2024
• Key Points Discussed:
▪ SGA will receive an account manager from the Accounts Payable office.
▪ Student organizations holding checks for over 5 days will become strictly prohibited since it has
been a factor causing our checks to bounce in the past.
▪ We are entertaining a new process of choosing the Homecoming/Springfest Artist that will allow
for more student input.
8. Meeting With SGA Officers:
Morning Briefings with the SGA Vice President and the Chief of Staff
▪ These were used to set goals for each week. Details of the goals can be found in sections II & III.
SGA Director of Elections, Keziah-Yvonne Smith: November 12, 2024
▪ We discussed what will need to be done to ensure that the election changes are executed on in the Spring.
II. Initiatives and Projects
1. Ongoing Initiatives:
Better Informing the Student Body
▪ The new OptiSigns TV systems have been purchased. 6 TVs will be up and running for mass communication once the Spring Semester begins.
▪ We are purchasing the mass Text Messaging system that ITC uses because the one that we attempted to purchase since the beginning of the semester has been unresponsive.
Increasing Transparency to the Student Body
▪ We have finalized all our meetings for the Spring, and the second one of each month will bepublic via Zoom.
Implementing Cost-Saving Practices for the University
▪ The Secretary of Sustainability is still working on her proposals to implement a food waste
reduction program and for many lights in public buildings to be converted to motion sensor
lighting.
▪ The Secretary of Innovation has submitted a proposal to implement Smart Censors in high usage
campus buildings, which has been given to the Vice President of Student Affairs.
Aiding Where we Can in the Mental Health Crisis
▪ The Presidential Interns will reach out to companies around New Orleans throughout December
and January to provide Xavierite discounts.
▪ A Wholistic Students’ Wellbeing Policy has been drafted and will be presented to the Vice
Presidents of Student Affairs, ITC, and Academic Affairs.
▪ The Presidential interns will ensure that the RAs in KD are checking the bathrooms more
frequently to accurately identify any residents that cause any abnormal messes.
Improving the Academic Experience
▪ The Secretary of Academic Policy has submitted a proposal to improve the credit transfer process
to the Provost.
▪ The Presidential Interns have submitted a proposal to improve the XCOR 1000 experience for
students and professors.
▪ Our surveys to gauge their current experience with their academic advisors and determine why
non-STEM majors feel undervalued by the institution have been approved by the Institutional
Research Officer.
▪ The Secretary of Academic Policy is currently identifying courses with a drop policy to ensure
that health concerns are omitted.
Improving the Performance of Student Leaders
▪ We have received XULA emails for all RSOs, which will be given to each at the beginning ofDecember.
Increasing SGA’s Funding Opportunities
▪ We did not receive enough votes (50% of the student body) to pass the constitutional
amendments, but we are trying again in January with a better plan of informing students.
▪ I will evaluate the spending of the Student Activity Fee this month to better inform what I’m
allocating funds for in the Spring.
Alleviate SGA Financial Process Issues
▪ I passed Executive Order 80.8, which can be read at xulasga.com.Increasing Student Engagement in Events
▪ The Secretaries of Athletic Policy and Engagement are drafting a proposal to amend the StudentTailgate Policy to allow Tailgates to continue during and after game time, while also releasing the
dry campus ban for students that are 21+ in the tailgate area during that time.
Student Concerns and Requests During the Term ▪ No new key updates.
III. Accomplishments
1. Major Achievements:
• There’s nothing that I’d consider major. We’ve made great strides this month towards the larger goals that I set.
IV. Challenges and Issues
1. Current Challenges:
• The late communication from the university regarding registration was the biggest issue amogst the student body this month. Students have said that they were made aware of the payment that they owed
during the registration period when they attempted to register. This has been brought to the University
President’s attention.
The SGA and many RSOs ran into finance troubles at the end of November, as we are spending our funds
at a faster pace than usual. Fiscal cut two $10,000 checks this month and refused to cut a third one for
reasons that I’m not sure of. Once it is figured out, I’ll have a clearer idea of what to do.
It took the whole month of November to get four surveys approved. While I am grateful that they are
approved now, tasks such as these taking almost 30 days are detrimental for the organization.
V. Financial Report through November 30
Leadership Summit
Welcome Back Week + Eboard Programming
Student Body Meetings Cabinet
Administration Projects
Department of Finance Department of Communications Royal Court
Internship
Executive Board Apparel Administration Apparel Photography
Office Supplies and Refreshments Miscellaneous Expenses
Admin Performance Pay
Retreat
Staff Stipends
President's Discretionary Fund
$5,673.59
$17,650.00 $2,000.00 $11,660.00 $7,379.00 $1,500.00 $5,425.00 $5,700.00 $21,486.68 $5,110.00 $975.00 $3,800.00 $675.00 $200.00 $0.00 $1,800.00 $3,436.55 $22,950.00 $9,820.00
$5,579.43
$14,008.43 $1,285.83 $535.56 $7,642.23 $51.42 $1,551.52 $2,919.72 $19,097.34 $2,157.04 $955.00 $3,683.00 $675.00 $135.78 $0.00 $100.00 $3,436.55 $22,950.00 $5,623.82
$94.16
$3,641.57 $714.17 $11,124.44 -$263.23 $1,448.58 $3,873.48 $2,780.28 $2,389.34 $2,952.96 $20.00 $117.00 $0.00 $64.22 0.00 $1,700.00 $0.00 $0.00 $4,196.18
Amount Division Category Total Allocation Amount Spent Remaining
Executive Branch Total $117,240.82 $69,437.67 $47,803.15
Legislative Branch Judicial Branch Class Councils
Homecoming
BIG 5
PSA
Senior Class Council Junior Class Council Sophomore Class Council Freshman Class Council
Xavier Activities Board Mobilization at Xavier 2.0 (Didn’t
Spend)
Executive Board P1 (Didn’t Spend) P2
P3 (Didn’t Spend) P4 (Didn’t Spend)
$4,825.00 $21,275.00
$10,017.00 $11,203.00 $12,080.00 $13,260.00
$110,000.00
$40,000.00 $4,800.00
$5,567.00 $1,160.00 $1,160.00 $1,840.00 $2,080.00
$1,601.38
$12,836.64
$7,541.21 $4,997.44 $6,091.33 $4,512.35
$108,468.36
$29,125.76 $3,635.22
$4,339.50 $320.00 $217.84 $497.82 $0.00
$3,223.62
$8,438.36
$2,475.79 $6,205.56 $5,988.67 $8,747.65
$1,531.64
$10,874.24 $1,164.78
$1,227.50 $840.00 $942.16 $1,342.18 $2,080.00
Per aspera ad astra, Chase Patterson