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Hi everyone!
With spring finally here, campus is starting to feel a little brighter! We’re so excited to welcome the new season with you. As we transition to the end of the semester, we want to recap some key developments from the past month.
We wanted to start off by reminding you that All Campus Elections are officially live! Every candidate on this year’s ballot brings something valuable to the table, and we strongly encourage you to cast your vote. While we don’t want to toot our own horn, you’ve seen firsthand the impactful work that SGA does across campus, and now, you have a direct say in who will continue to lead, represent and advocate for our community. Make your voice heard by heading to vote today!
Below are some important updates we would like you to make note of:
Ways and Means Guidelines Updates – The Ways and Means Guidelines have been updated for 2026-27 and are now officially in use. These changes were approved by Senate on March 3, 2026. You can review the updated guidelines at the provided link.
SGA’s presentation with the Board of Trustees – On February 20th, SGA President & SCC Co-Chair Nathania, along with SCC Co-Chair Grace Suh, presented findings from Student Conference Committee focus groups and surveys. They emphasized the importance of affinity spaces, particularly increased investment in LLCs, transportation concerns related to PVTA, and AI usage on campus. The presentation led to meaningful discussions with Trustees, ensuring that student voices were directly represented. Thank you to everyone who contributed to SCC’s data collection efforts.
Power banks available to check out in LITS! – We are excited to share that through your trust in us and our advocacy for you, LITS has provided portable power banks that can be checked out from the Information Desk on the 2nd floor of the Williston Library! These portable power banks make charging devices while studying more accessible, especially in library spaces like the Reading Room, where outlets are on the floor and may not be accessible to everyone.
Bystander Trainings in collaboration with DEI – Over Spring Break and the first week back, the Office of Equity & Inclusion held Bystander Trainings with representatives from ACLU Massachusetts & LUCE Immigrant Justice Network on immigration. We urge you all to keep yourselves safe, always carry your One Card, and remember the acronym LITES
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L – Location (where did you see federal immigration officers?)
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I – Identify (what did the person look like? What behavior were they exhibiting? Describe the individual’s uniform)
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T - Time (what time did you see this? Be as exact as possible)
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E - Exit strategy (If possible, remove yourself from the situation before calling Public Safety to ensure you’re safe)
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S - Safety (remain in a non-public access space, do not allow anyone without an MHC OneCard ID into any campus buildings. If you are not in a non-public space, do your best to find a place of shelter until campus is deemed safe.)
March Senate Highlights – March was a month full of exciting and educational Senates.
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During International Students Appreciation Week, we collaborated with ISOC to discuss the International Student experience at Mount Holyoke. At this meeting, we directly addressed the racist and xenophobic comments made on Fizz to our international students. As an Executive Board, we want to make one thing clear: We do not condone the use of anonymous platforms, and we call on you all to completely stop using Fizz. This is a campus-wide issue that is on US to remedy. We have to collectively agree to stop spreading hatred and bigotry. To our International students: you belong here, and Mount Holyoke is a better place with you here!
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SGA Ways and Means and the SGA Business Office presented to Senate on the new guidelines, answering questions and addressing concerns. Feel free to reach out at sgaways@mtholyoke.edu if you have any more questions!
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Dining visited the Senate and announced updates, including a smoothie bar at the pub and raw salmon at the sushi station. More information can be found on their website. As always, they are open to receiving all forms of student feedback, so do not hesitate to contact them.
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Most importantly, the Senate had its first-ever Senator Tea Party! Shoutout to our Senate Chair Coco & Vice-Chair Natasha for organizing this event.
We want to remind you that we are here to support you and to help address any concerns you may have about student life on campus. Your opinions are key in shaping the work we do. To that end, we encourage you to share your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions through our feedback form. Your input allows us to better advocate for you and continue improving the Mount Holyoke experience for all students.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Sincerely,
SGA
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