For the students who choose to wash their clothes on campus, that lumpy pocket of clunky quarters will no longer be necessary starting next semester.

Loyola’s Student Government Association announced on Tuesday, Jan. 20 that laundry services will be free in all residence halls for the upcoming fall semester. But it doesn’t stop there.

With the new semester already on the move, SGA has a few more tricks up its sleeve, like the potential installment of a Redbox on campus.

“This year, the effectiveness of SGA has far exceeded anything I could have predicted when I first got elected,” said Michael Morin, SGA vice president and music education junior. “And I can assure everyone that this semester will be just as good as the last, and we aren’t loosing any steam.”

While there are many initiatives already under way, Morin pointed to two main events that SGA is working on.

The first is Loyola’s annual Loup Garou concert, which will be held on March 31 at the Howlin’ Wolf.

The second large initiative is a dedication ceremony that will give recognition to Loyola for hosting the first interracial basketball game in the history of Jesuit schools.

The event was prompted by board member the Rev. R. Bentley Anderson, S.J., a Jesuit who works at Fordham University and who authored the book “Black, White, and Catholic: New Orleans Interracialism.” The event is currently set to take place on March 16.

On a community level, SGA is putting its energy into more student-based initiatives, like reaching out to commuter students by continuing to hand out free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch on Tuesdays.

They are also starting to look into what other services they can offer commuters, like bringing in a real estate agent to talk about finding places to live.

“Living off campus is the best, but I do miss out on school activities and I am not as connected with my friends who do live on campus,” said Carlisa Jackson, mass communication sophomore.

This is a problem most commuter students encounter, and which Morin says SGA has been proactive about confronting this year through events and better promotion.

SGA is also looking into installing maps around campus for visitors, as well as signs to clearly mark buildings.

Students can again expect bussing for events like Jazz Fest, as well as to the airport for holidays and at the end of the semester.

“We have made large steps to becoming a better, more efficient, active student government,” Morin said.

More announcements and events will be coming out soon.

Erin Clements can be reached at [email protected]