By Michael Walsh
For Senator Erika Dawson-Head, a conference trip to Texas A&M was the inspiration for her new “Road to Success” ad hoc committee.
“The Road to Success is actually going to be an ad hoc committee that is going to promote self sustainability for our SGA,” said Dawson-Head. “The Road to Success is definitely going to be an arm of SGA, and it’s going to be our fundraising arm.”
According to Dawson-Head, the end result of the committee, which is modeled after a similar one at Texas A&M, would be to eliminate student activity fees and for the Student Government Association to be self-sustained and supported by itself.
After hearing her out, President Matt Vekakis decided to create an ad hoc committee in support of it the program, which Vekakis called “one of the best ideas senate has ever come up with.”
“I feel like she’s going to do great things with it. She’s a go-getter. She’ll make sure stuff happens,” said Vekakis. “I’m going to at least be on that ad-hoc committee to steer it and make sure it comes to fruition.”
Although the committee is in its earliest stages of production, Dawson-Head does have plans on how to initially raise money.
“The idea is that we’re going to start a campaign where we sell bricks. We’re going to have to get approval and go through all the steps, but they’re going to be bricks that will beautify the property here at CCSU. They will be able to buy at a brick at whatever price we set in the ad hoc committee,” said Dawson-Head.
The money that comes from the sale of the bricks will be put into an ever-growing endowment, which will then go towards the long-term goal of a self-sustained SGA. SGA currently consumes student funds to go towards its budget, something Dawson-Head would like to see decreased.
“I definitely think this is going to be an awesome journey,” said Dawson-Head. “This is not something that is going to happen in one semester. It’s definitely going to be something that we set the framework up for now, and 20 years from now when I come back I get to hear how wonderful it is, and how we’re almost there, we’re almost at self-sustainability where SGA does not rely on student activity funds.”
Dawson-Head also believes that the new program is a way to create customs and traditions at CCSU, something she feels the university is clearly missing.
“It also makes it so that alumni have something to come back and look at, have some reason to come back at CCSU and stay involve in the future,” said Dawson-Head. “We give scholarships every year, and when you give scholarships to a student, they automatically appreciate it. So why not repay the university by buying a brick or putting money towards their own sustainability, especially in troubled times like these where costs are going up and the money isn’t coming in.
For now, the committee is still in an exploratory phase, but it does hope to get off the ground sooner than later.