Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s Student Government Association (SGA) is launching new initiatives in hopes of supporting student feedback and increasing engagement throughout Spring 2026.
One initiative that has been discussed is “Meet You There Mondays,” an idea created to bring SGA meetings to new locations across the campus, reducing the need for students to attend meetings in a single location.
“We want to meet students where they are, both literally and figuratively,” Nilah Pollard, a senior social work major and SGA vice president, said. “By taking our meetings across campus, students can meet us there and be a part of important conversations from the comfort of their own spaces.”
SGA president Madysen Morgan, a senior business administration major, shared how they plan to start with three initial meetings and expand from there, going through different campus locations in hopes of increasing student accessibility. Their focus will be to address common concerns among students who have a lack of understanding surrounding the role of SGA on campus.
“We’ve heard a lot of questions of what SGA is—people not knowing who we are and how much we can do to help them,” Morgan said.
Through public meetings, social media outreach and new initiatives, SGA hopes to inform students on how decisions are made and what student influence can look like on campus.
SGA is also looking to launch a new educational program called “The More You Know.” The initiative will use social media to highlight campus resources, student services and opportunities students may be unaware of.
“Many students don’t realize how much NSU has to offer,” Pollard said. “Through fun and engaging posts, we want to help students better use the resources available to them throughout their college journey.”
Simultaneously, SGA is working to bridge the gap between students and campus administration. A new initiative called, “Academic Insight Sessions” is encouraging senators to meet with academic deans to discuss student concerns and address feedback from students in each department, Morgan explained.
Pollard shared how successful initiatives aren’t determined based on large attendance numbers or rapid results. “The success of an initiative doesn’t always mean that lots of people show up,” she said. “Rather, it’s about whether something improved and how future leaders can continue the work that was started.”
Students’ concerns this Spring 2026 have mainly revolved around cleanliness and mental health, according to freshman senator Aiden Matthews, a business administration and management major. He explained that students have voiced their concerns surrounding a buildup of trash in parking lots in resident halls and an increase in stress and burnout as the semester goes on.
Matthews described the many opportunities provided by SGA for students to voice their concerns about campus life, academics and general well-being. Matthew said that students are highly encouraged to bring any concerns or suggestions directly to SGA members.
“If anybody brings a concern to any senator, we have a pretty open channel to express that to our executives or our cabinets,” Matthews said.
The biggest factors limiting how quickly change can happen are campus size and funding, since many changes require going through official channels and getting financial approval, Matthews explained. However, that does not deter SGA from maximizing its resources to continue influencing change.
“Anything that comes to our attention as a student’s need or concern is our first priority,” Pollard said. “If it’s something within our scope, we work to address it. If not, we redirect it to the people who can make the most change.” Morgan explained that a successful semester for her is more focused on individual change and the impact that she can have. “If every single semester I had at least one student who came up to me and said SGA has done something good for them, that’d be enough for me,” she said.
As SGA moves toward expanding both its reach and impact, representatives encourage students to attend SGA meetings or speak with SGA members to voice their opinions and concerns. More initiatives are expected throughout the current semester.
