Q&A with Student Government Association President Collier Dobbs

Collier Dobbs is a senior majoring in finance and economics from Birmingham. He is currently the president of The University of Alabama’s Student Government Association and serves as an ambassador for the Culverhouse College of Business.

What were some of the highlights from SGA this past year?

Below are a few examples of how SGA fulfilled its mission of students serving students:

• DEI Passport Program: With over 200 accessible events, we saw an incredible increase in student participation, with one event experiencing a 1,300% increase in attendance.
• Saving the Tides: SGA partnered with Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity to stay after a home football game to clean up and properly dispose of recyclable materials within the block seating section of Bryant-Denny Stadium.
• Student Artwork Display in Gorgas Library: Through a collaboration between SGA, UA Libraries and the UA Art Department, an art exhibition provided the opportunity for student artists to gain real experience and contribute to their professional portfolio.
• Battle of the Bands: This first-ever competition benefitted the Joe Espy Needs Based Scholarship focused on assisting students with financial needs such as rent, car payments, utilities, etc. With the support of the Interfraternity Council, Alabama Panhellenic Association and many Tuscaloosa businesses, 10 student bands competed and $7,500 was raised.
• Veterans 5K: With a focus on strengthening the Veterans Scholarship Fund, SGA worked to bring this event to fruition. Despite less-than-ideal weather, over 100 runners participated in the 5K, raising $7,295.

• Reinstating Fall Break: SGA heard concerns about the need for a fall break to aid in protecting the mental health of students due in part to strenuous school schedules and collaborated with several student organization leaders to hear different perspectives on the benefits of a fall break.

We worked with University leadership to tackle obstacles in implementing a fall break.

What are some of SGA’s goals and major projects for the 2023-2024 year?

Below are some of the key initiatives we are excited to share with the campus community throughout the year:

• Good Neighbor Walk: SGA members will travel door-to-door throughout Tuscaloosa to create relationships with our peers while also distributing our Good Neighbor Guide, a one-stop-shop for tips on how to be a good neighbor, resources you might need and information on renting in Tuscaloosa.
• Crimson Closet Fashion Show: We are partnering with the department of clothing, textiles and interior design to host a fashion show that benefits the Denise and Chandler Root Crimson Closet, which houses professional clothing that students can borrow at no cost for interviews, career fairs and presentations.
• Course Assignment Calendar: We plan to work with the Office of Information Technology to create a course assignment calendar that will be a “week at a glance” for all the assignments due each week.
• Away Game Watch Parties: This fall we are planning to host an away game watch party. Through partnering with Crimson Chaos, we hope to create a unique game day experience even when the Tide is not playing in Bryant-Denny.

How can fellow students get involved or stay informed?

Freshmen can apply to our First Year Council, the official representative body of the freshmen class.

Any student can apply to Lobby Board or SGA Committees. Lobby Board is a collective of students dedicated to serving as advocates on behalf of the SGA and UA students.

There are also five different committees to join with automatic acceptance after the completion of the application process. Each committee serves as an extension of the cabinet of a vice president or executive cabinet member. All applications can be found on the SGA website.

To keep up to date with SGA, students can subscribe to our monthly newsletter, follow us on social media at @uasga, keep a lookout around campus for our signage, or visit our office in The University of Alabama Student Center.

What was the biggest lesson SGA learned from the past year that will continue to make an impact on the organization and how it conducts business?

As UA has over 580 student organizations, we are consistently working to ensure our programming and initiatives reach as many members of the student body as possible.

We look forward to expanding our marketing by developing working relationships with both student and campus media outlets and strengthening our lines of communication through social media, the Source and email newsletters.