SGA Commuter Senator steps down to work closer with students and faculty
November 13, 2021
The Student Government Association (SGA) Commuter Senator Helen Tran resigned from the position on Wednesday, Nov. 10.
Tran sent a letter to SGA President Nick Ciampanelli informing the organization of her plan to resign before the Ask Away event. In an interview with Q30 News, Tran says she did not achieve what she thought she could in SGA.
“This is just one of these things where I realize that SGA’s not for me,” Tran said. “If I want to make a difference, I want to be in an environment where I feel more motivated to empower, where I can make a change. Even though SGA may fit for other people, it just didn’t fit for me.”
The goal to remove the $90 parking fee imposed by the university initially drove Tran to the position in SGA.
“I was helping to revoke the parking fee that was implemented last semester, $90 for students to park and hopefully provide more resources for commuters as well,” Tran said. “Especially since during that time I could see and feel that a lot of commuters felt excluded from the rest of the campus so hopefully with my time at SGA, at least what I was thinking last semester, that I could maybe change that.”
Before leaving the organization, Tran was working to add a charging station into the commuter lounge.
“I just completed the proposal on our way to add a charging station in the commuter lounge… I also found an advisor and am thinking of still continuing the Commuter Student Union even after I resign,” Tran said.
To continue the work to improve commuter’s student experience, Tran looks to continue her efforts with the Commuter Student Union and connecting all commuter students.
“With the Commuter Student Union, you can meet other commuters,” Tran said. “Maybe you can find someone to carpool with and provide resources and opportunities that you would usually miss out [on] because you do not live on campus.”
Throughout Tran’s time in SGA, she was also active in the student advisory, parking and transportation, inclusion and student affairs committees. The most recent committee Tran joined was the parking advisory committee, but says she will no longer have much involvement after her resignation.
After serving as the Commuter Senator, Tran does not feel that the administration has changed their way of thinking when it comes to issues surrounding commuters.
“That’s why I dropped out,” Tran said. “Especially with administration they still want to do their $90 fee. They do not want to hear their students out.”
Tran says it feels like administration would rather run their own show than work with students.
“The reason why I said SGA doesn’t fit me is because SGA mostly works with administration,” Tran said. “For me, I would rather work with a community whether its other students, faculty, whoever is willing to hear out my problems and concerns I have rather than someone who shuts me down.”
Tran plans to put more effort into QU Culture after resigning from SGA. After attending the Indigenity teach-in on Tuesday, Nov. 9, Trans hopes to develop a similar environment in the Quinnipiac community where students and faculty can work together to make a difference on campus.
There are currently eight open positions in the specialized representation cabinet, senior, junior and first-year cabinet. A vote to elect the new senators will take place on Monday, Nov. 29.
