By Adaobi Ezeani (Whetstone Contributor)

The Student Government Association approved a new Constitution Jan. 30 and elected Dr. Cynthia Newton as its faculty adviser.

For the past several years, the SGA has been advised by someone from Student Life.

The Constitution now must be approved by President William Johnston, said Bryan Zarou, vice president.

“Every student will be able to view a copy the Constitution, after it is approved and signed by President Johnston,” he said.

Newton said she was honored to be chosen, and that she will be a “hands-off” adviser.

“My vision of an SGA adviser is to be someone that’s there for advice,” she said. “To let students experience leadership on their own, explore democracy, and if there’s an issue or problem where they need advice, I step in and help.”

Newton, who said she doesn’t plan on attending the SGA’s Monday meetings unless asked, was SGA adviser at her previous institution, Norwich University in Northfield, Vt.

Sometimes the SGA may butt heads with administration, she said, which is why a faculty adviser is necessary.

“Student governments historically at colleges across the country have had controversial moments, and it’s important for an adviser to feel comfortable, feel protected,” Newton said. “I have the support of many strong colleagues, several of whom are tenured, and I feel that the current administration is much more open to student leadership and governance.”

That said, the SGA here has a good rapport with the administration, she said.

“The current administration is open to understanding the importance of student voice.”

Dr. Tony Armstrong, professor of political science, said the main changes written into the new SGA Constitution reinforced the idea that a faculty member should be the students’ adviser.

“This is important because it allows for genuine autonomy for the students,” he said.

As Chair of the Student Affairs Committee, Armstrong spearheaded a resolution, passed unanimously by the faculty during its Oct. 31, 2011, meeting that to “effectively represent the will and interests of the student body, we, the faculty of Wesley College, insist that the advisor to student government be a member of the faculty, as specified in the Board-ratified SGA constitution.”

Armstrong said the new SGA constitution also broadened representation for students.

“They now have provisions for representatives from dorms and other groups who never were directly represented before,” he said. “For many years, representatives were just from student organizations, which is not representative of the entire student body.”

SGA President Tanner Polce said the new Constitution is only one of the big plans SGA wants to implement this semester.

“This semester we plan on making four big changes and we do hope that it recognized by the student body as a whole,” Polce said after opening the first SGA meeting of the spring semester, Jan. 23.

SGA also will be partnering with security and IT this semester to help reinforce safety on campus. Polce said they are looking to replace and assemble 21 cameras throughout the campus and in the dorms to insure that the campus is always monitored.

“Cameras around campus will increase safety because it will make it easier for security to pick up unfamiliar or suspicious people,” said Jazzelle Taghap, a freshman at the college.

Some students say this has been one of the biggest problems at Wesley: people walking on campus who aren’t students and travel freely between the library and even Underground in basement of College Center to play pool or watch TV.

Once the cameras are in place, Taghap said, “Wesley would just have to look at the footage and find out who the person is.”

The SGA also is working to get Wi-Fi in all six of the dorms.

Many students say access to the Internet in the dorm rooms is slow and sometimes doesn’t even work.

Several students are excited about better Internet access.

“With routers, we can get things done more efficiently instead of having to go to the library,” said freshman Crystal Winkler.

Better access will allow students the opportunity to work in the comfort of their own room.

“Sometimes students can’t study or do homework in the library, primarily because it’s not a comfortable environment for them,” said sophomore Melody Dimerson.