Student Government Association: A vote for transparency

Kourtnie Hernandez, the Student Government Association program coordinator, is shown outside the Student Union on the Edinburg campus during an event to encourage students to connect and learn about candidates. SGA elections will take place Monday through Thursday. Jose Medina/THE RIDER

UTRGV’s Student Government Association presented updates on the B3 initiative, increased transparency and recognized the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship in a resolution during the March 22 meeting. 

Dania Lopez Garcia, special advisor for Bilingual Integration and associate professor of hispanic linguistics, presented to student leaders UTRGV’s B3 initiative, offering bilingual and bicultural classes.

“Our mission for B3 is really to help transform the [Rio Grande Valley] by promoting biculturalism, bilingualism and biliteracy,” Garcia said.

The B3 scholar program recognizes students who complete bilingual or Spanish courses and provides a certificate of completion at graduation.

Garcia provided data from the last four years of the initiative highlighting “117 faculty, 638 courses, over 14,000 students [over the four year period] and well over a 1,000 students participating in these classes per semester.” 

The program aims to build on students’ existing language skills and prepare them for a future where 30% of the population is Hispanic, according to the associate professor.

“91% of our population is Hispanic,” Garcia said. “77% of it speaks Spanish.” 

Benefits of bilingualism include improved multitasking, communication and academic performance, according to the associate professor.

“So, it’s really a language that if we already have it, why not improve on it, expand upon it, and really have it be kind of that competitive edge that you all can have when you go out in the job market,” Garcia said. 

In other news, Alexis Uscanga Cadena, student-at-large, introduced the Legislation Transparency Act, aiming to increase transparency of SGA’s work.

“A lot of students want the SGA to work for the students,” Uscanga Cadena said. “So, this bill will do exactly that.”

 The legislation also includes a tracker for students to see what bills are being worked on and their status. 

“This bill would make sure that if we are working on legislation, that students will be able to see that legislation,” he said. “So, they can hopefully hold us accountable.”

The legislation passed with 13 votes and will be sent to SGA President Odalys Saenz to sign or veto. 

Skyler Howler, senator for the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship, read a courtesy resolution recognizing the Robert C. Vackar College of Business and Entrepreneurship’s contribution to student success. 

Howler said the resolution “recognizes all the amazing opportunities the school provides to students,” to gain a well-rounded understanding of the business world and maximize their success. 

The senate approved the resolution and it will be sent to Saenz to sign. 

“I know … it’s important for the university to express their gratitude towards students,” Howler said. “But ultimately it’s also our job, as students, to give an appreciation and a ‘thank you’ to the colleges that help our success within the business field.”  

SGA Elections will take place Monday through Thursday. Students will receive an “SGA General Election: Vote Now” email to cast their ballot, according to the university website.

The next SGA meeting will be from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. April 12 in Student Academic Center Room 2.129 on the Edinburg campus.