A Student Government Association business senator, Andrew Dalton, has been chosen to fill in the SGA president’s role in Loyola University’s Strategic Planning Team in order to help better the university.
The Strategic Planning Team, a committee made up of faculty, staff, students and administration, accepted a new representative to fill in for SGA’s president. The student representatives on the Strategic Planning Team are responsible for helping to identify how people inside and outside of the university perceive Loyola.
Dalton, international business junior, said he feels honored to be the newest member of the Strategic Planning Team. Dalton said he is looking forward to working with the university administration.
“I am excited to see a little bit of a more face-to-face interaction with the administration,” Dalton said.
Dalton said he considers the Strategic Planning Team as a university-wide initiative to better the university.
“You plan strategically by getting together this committee, or this team, and we develop long-term goals and short-term objectives to better the university,” Dalton said.
Dalton said the SGA president usually takes the position. However, Jasmine Barnes, mass communication senior and SGA president, said she was unable to serve on the committee due to conflicts with her class schedule.
“Andrew is my proxy,” Barnes said. “He goes and represents me as well as the students. Then, we talk about what happened at the meeting, as well as he gives a report at senate.”
Barnes said SGA’s executive staff was asked in February who would be best to fill her position on the committee, and they gave her a list of candidates. Barnes talked to each of the candidates and decided on Dalton because he was available and believed he would do a good job on the committee, she said.
“He is awesome, in my opinion, for this position,” Barnes said.
Dalton said he believes he is coming into this position with fresh eyes since he is a transfer student and is performing service in New Orleans.
“I have a passion for the community and for making sure that things are going in a way for the good of the community, which, in this term, is not only the SGA community, not only the university community, but the world,” Dalton said.
Blake Corley, mass communication junior and SGA vice president, said that by working with Dalton throughout the semester, he recognizes Dalton’s out-spoken nature and organization skills.
“Those qualities as well as his dedication to SGA and his dedication to the student body definitely have made him a wonderful candidate and a wonderful member of that committee,” Corley said.
Dalton said he is happy that being on the Strategic Planning Team will allow him to help other people.
“I love to help,” Dalton said. “That’s what I love to do.”
Burke Bischoff may be reached at [email protected]
