The Rowan University Student Government Association (SGA) gathered again for another meeting with a large agenda at hand Monday. 

In part of new business at the meeting, there were hopes to get the stamp of approval from SGA to pass a Tobacco Free Campus Initiative. This initiative would not allow any students, faculty, administrators or visitors to smoke anywhere on campus at Rowan.

For Colleges Against Cancer, this initiative is not to stop people from smoking, but to promote a healthier living environment on campus. The club won a $20,000 Tobacco Free Generation Grant to support a tobacco-free campus.

Club President Emma Berkowitz, a senior chemical engineering major, says the initiative was being advanced out of a desire to improve the lifestyle of the campus.

“We really want to promote a healthy form of lifestyle,” she said. “Because we’ve all been touched by cancer and we want to avoid as many instances of cancer as possible.”

Ultimately, the motion was denied and the SGA will not put their stamp of approval on the initiative. Rbrey Singleton, who is part of the Board of Trustees that will be voting on the initiative, represents SGA and his vote reflects the senator’s decision.

“I wanted to make it clear to the student body and the representatives of the student body that my vote would reflect how they felt. Motion was denied today, so I will be voting no when that resolution gets to the board,” Singleton said.

Although the initiative will not receive the stamp of approval from SGA, they still plan to work for the vote from others and promote healthy living conditions on campus with other activities and events.

“We will still continue with our educational campaign. We have the grant money and we plan to use it for these events that Colleges Against Cancer puts on throughout the year,” Berkowitz said.

Some of those events include Relay For Life, the Great American Smokeout and other informational sessions throughout the year.

“We’re not trying to police people, to ticket people, we just want to encourage this cultural change,” she said.

Another item on the docket included the approval of the Club Accountability Policy bylaw changes that can be found on the SGA Proflink which were debated last meeting.

During the meeting, five clubs were lost their club charters. They were the Biophysics club, the Council of Africana Studies, the Help Hotline, the Rowan Intramural Recreation Sports Association and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.

Shochunger, a new program discussed at the meeting, will also take affect over the next few weeks and a survey will be sent out Sunday for students to participate in and win prizes. Information about Shochunger can be found through Rbrey Singleton and Austin O’Neill, members of the E-board.

Lastly, Christine Martin won the title of senator for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“I want to make all of the majors and minors known to everybody throughout the colleges. I think there’s a lot of majors that we don’t necessarily know where they belong and need good homes just like everybody else,” Martin said.

The SGA will convene again on Nov. 13 at Tohill Theatre in Bunce Hall at 7 p.m. 

For questions/comments about this story, email news@thewhitonline.com or tweet @thewhitonline.