Though the first meeting generally covers “housekeeping” business, according to Jamal Barone, president of SGA and a senior marketing communication major, the group still outlined several goals for the organization.,Emerson College’s Student Government Association (SGA) held its first meeting of the 2006-2007 school year last Tuesday, Sept. 12., with its president expressing high hopes and big plans for the academic year.

Though the first meeting generally covers “housekeeping” business, according to Jamal Barone, president of SGA and a senior marketing communication major, the group still outlined several goals for the organization.

Barone said he hopes to communicate with the student body more effectively than in the past through activities such as town hall-style meetings. He said he also planned to encourage more school spirit, not just in athletics, but in all areas of student life.

“The campus is so close now,” he said. “I would like to see a more unified student body to represent that.”

The SGA also discussed its annual retreat, this year taking place at Essex Conference Center in Essex, Mass., and the rules by which weekly meetings are governed.

Special elections will be held to fill open seats on the board. According to Barone, 15 board memberships are able to vote on SGA proposals. Those positions include class officers and academic senators. Currently, 12 of those seats are filled, leaving three open slots for a Class of 2008 senator, an Organizational and Political Communication senator and a Journalism senator.

The special election for these seats will be held Sept. 27-28 online at vote.emerson.edu

“Last year, the general election didn’t have quite the turnout we were hoping for,” Barone said, “so we will be having a special election for these open positions.”

Other open positions include Multicultural Commissioner, GLBT Commissioner and Athletics Commissioner.

Those positions, however, have candidates appointed by Barone and approved by the rest of the SGA board.

Barone’s road to becoming president has not been easy, as charges were brought against him last year by David Vaughn, then-SGA chief and Barone’s opponent in the race.

It was alleged that Barone broke campaigning rules in a computer lab in the Walker Building, according to an April 2006 issue of The Beacon.

But with that incident behind him, Barone said now he now feels confident as president.