UA’s SGA Receives Awards from SEC Universities

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama Student Government Association received two awards at the Southeastern Conference Student Government Exchange Conference in July in Gainesville, Florida.

UA received the 2015-16 Student Government of the Year honor for an SGA that has “excelled in campus leadership in the past year.”

Criteria include: development and implementation of necessary or innovative student services or programs for students on its campus; increased engagement with campus administration or other campus partners; active presence of advocacy and support on campus; establishment of programs that are sustainable, capable of evaluation and in support of both the mission of their university and their student government association; and engagement of diverse groups in participation through programs, services or campus advocacy and outreach.

UA also received the Outstanding Student Government Achievement Award: Event/Programming honor for its “It’s On Us” drive to prevent sexual assaults.

The UA SGA’s efforts included this video that features students pledging to work to prevent sexual assaults on campus. The award honors an achievement in legislation, event programming, auxiliary service or an initiative. The “It’s On Us” initiative was organized by UA student Jordan Forrest, from Columbia, Missouri.

“Our team sought to make a difference, and I believe we did,” said Elliott Spillers, a UA student who was president of SGA during the 2015-16 term. “Our commitment to success was measured in how we supported all students. As the first Alabama SGA administration to receive this award, it symbolizes what we can accomplish as a team.

“Thank you to the Alabama community,” Spillers said. “I look forward to congratulating the Lillian Roth administration next year. Let’s keep it in the Alabama family.”

The SEC Student Government Exchange is a body made up of student government associations from the 14 SEC universities.