Student Government Association poses for a group picture at the 2024 Fall Banquet Dec. 5, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Tamia Smith)
When running for president of SGA, Tamia Smith had one goal in mind: to enrich campus life at USI. In a meeting with The Shield, Smith said being involved at USI provided her with the opportunity to engage students and provide transparency on what it is that SGA does.
Smith is a senior psychology major, set to graduate in just a few weeks. She did not join SGA until her junior year, where she served as the AVP of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), but she has been involved on campus since her freshman year. From being involved in leadership organizations like Student Ambassadors, Orientation & Welcome Week Leaders, to student-life organizations like Black Student Union and Activities Programming Board (APB), Smith wanted to bring what she learned to SGA.
In her first year, Smith partnered with other general assembly members to host USI’s first drag show, in hopes of bringing more inclusion to campus. Smith recalls wanting to bring more multicultural events to USI, noting last year’s soul food cooking class and the drag show as part of SGA’s expansion in diversity.
“I think that’s great, because that’s a space where students can feel safe and seen,” Smith said. “They can express themselves.
A large focus for Smith and the reason she wanted to run for president was engagement. She says that in the 2024-2025 school year, SGA recruited approximately 40 members, which is “a big jump” from the year before.
The 2024-2025 SGA executive board and general assembly took big steps in expanding transparency across campus, specifically identifying student needs. Smith says a large part of their mission was “breaking the wall” between students and the administration. On February 27, SGA held a public forum for students to stop by and share concerns, needs or desires for USI moving forward. Since the forum, SGA has created committees and met with administrators of each noted department to share student concerns with administrators.
Smith says that the executive board has been creating notes for the incoming board to make the transition smoother. In the notes, hopes to continue the connection with students, transparency and on-campus events. Executive Vice President Alicia Cotton won her race for president, therefore making it easier for this year’s agenda to continue in the next administration.
SGA consists of: an executive board (President, Executive Vice President, Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer and Chief of Staff), which oversee “unique duties and responsibilities”, according to the SGA website; a general assembly (Administrative Vice Presidents, College Representatives and Members-at-Large); and the University Court, which consists of six justices.
Each member in the general assembly is tasked with holding numerous events throughout their term, which is overseen and aided by the executive board. During this school year, SGA hosted numerous events, such as Alcohol Awareness Week, Environmental Awareness Week and Rice Day to spread campus engagement. Events are paid for by SGA and planned by members of the organization.
SGA also has numerous other responsibilities, such as funding student organizations, reviewing on-campus parking and traffic violations, and organizing university committees. A full list of SGA responsibilities can be found on their website.
The first meeting for the 2025-2026 SGA administration will take place May 1 in LA 1015 at 5:30. Students are encouraged to attend.