SGA discussed campus safety, 2026 election policies, the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) guidelines and welcomed new members on Jan. 29, the first senate meeting of the spring 2026 semester.
The senate formed an ad-hoc campus safety committee to prioritize student voices, swore in a new senator, announced three new members of the Justice Board and amended the winter formal bill.
Campus safety ad-hoc committee
Vice President Isabella Polombo presented an ad hoc campus safety committee following the alleged attempted murder of a student outside of the Antero residence hall on Jan. 12 and the double-homicide that occurred on campus in Feb. 2024.
An ad hoc committee is a temporary group established to address a specific issue that cannot be resolved by a standing committee, although Polombo suggested the committee become permanent.
This committee aims to address aspects of campus safety, such as the lack of lighting and safety buttons on campus. Its members will work to provide communication and transparency to the student body, including what actions are being taken across campus to address the safety concerns of students, staff and faculty.
“How can [this committee] give students a voice in these conversations beyond the campus reaction?” Polombo said.
In 2010, a ruling that determined the Board of Regents retained authority to set campus weapons policies was overturned. Two years later, CU appealed the decision and was approved by the regents in a 5-4 vote but rejected by the Colorado Supreme Court.
State law allows authorized citizens to carry concealed firearms.
“I believe the next step of action is to form an ad hoc committee that really helps not only support student opinion, but also get faculty, staff, different administrators, and different individuals from different departments involved in the conversation,” Polombo said.
Polombo suggested that it be open to students external to SGA. The committee was formed in a unanimous vote.
New members
Brian Vickers was sworn in as the Senator of Graduate Students. Vickers is pursuing his master’s degree in counseling and works as the graduate assistant at Clyde’s Cupboard.
He intends to improve communication between graduate school departments and work on improving financial aid for graduate students.
“I want to get everybody together [and] make sure I’m meeting with all the leaders of each department each month, [making] sure I’m also meeting with grad students and getting any things that they might like to see change,” Vickers said.
Chief Justice Eden Kidane-Gebre, Associate Chief Justice Natalie Austin and Election Commissioner Catalina Moheit were announced as new Justice Board executives.
Kidane-Gebre is an undergraduate student studying sociology with a minor in pre-law, a co-president of African Student Association and an RA. The other justices were absent.
“If you guys ever have anything that you want to pick up with me, please really don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’m always welcoming feedback and constructive criticisms to different things. So however, the [Justice] Board can best support you guys is what I want to be able to do for you,” Kidane-Gebre said.
BAC guidelines for clubs and organizations
According to Associate Director of Student Life and Leadership David Schieler, the number of registered, active clubs and organizations has increased from 182 to 197 since the fall 2025 semester. Over 550 students attended Club Fair on Jan. 27.
“I will give huge kudos to every club and [organization] that participated in both sessions or one session. Whatever your call is to club fair, thank you. It means the world. So many people were able to connect with our clubs and [organizations] in a new way,” Schieler said.
Clarifications were made to the existing guidelines after the Justice Board received feedback that the policies were unclear. Funding categories, including event structure and term definitions, such as durable goods and significant value, were clarified. Future changes will be proposed soon.
Applications to register a club and/or organization with Student Life are open until Feb. 23.
Winter formal funding
The senate approved increasing the total funding from $3069.25 to $4,490.80 for the Winter Formal on Feb. 27, including the General and Administrative Recharge (GAR) costs.
The Carry Forward Funding Allocation will be used to cover costs for snacks, catered food, decorations, a student DJ, transportation costs and Lyft vouchers.
In other news:
- SGA election applications for 21 senators and 3 executives are open and due by Feb. 16.
SGA senate meetings are held every Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and are open to the public. Senators use student-funded fees to improve student life and the campus community. There is a designated time for the public to ask questions and raise concerns.
Photo from The Scribe archives.