The University of Maryland SGA discussed several initiatives at its meeting Wednesday regarding sexual health and sustainability.
The Student Government Association passed an initiative funding an event to raise awareness about consent and healthy relationships. Wednesday’s discussion also included a presentation by the University Health Center, which highlighted the sexual health resources on campus.
The Valentine’s Day-themed initiative provides funding for an event called “Conversation Hearts” on Feb. 12. The event, sponsored by the SGA’s Sexual Misconduct Prevention committee, hopes to emphasize the importance of healthy relationships to students, according to Danica Choi, the head of the committee.
“It’s important to talk about what relationships we are a part of and how to promote these relationships,” said Choi, a senior government and politics major. “College students are inevitably going to be in some form of relationship and we want to make sure that UMD campus students are knowledgeable, know the signs when looking for healthy relationships.”
This university’s SGA also introduced a bill to fund a sexually transmitted infection and HIV testing event.
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Reese Artero, the bill’s sponsor and the SGA off-campus neighboring representative, hopes the funding will help students who are concerned about the cost of getting tested.
Many students in college are exploring their sexuality, Artero — a junior criminology and criminal justice major — said.
“It is really important when they feel like they can’t go get tested because of cost or maybe they’re on their parents’ insurance or there’s some other issue,” Artero said.
Her bill aims to alleviate some of these worries.
Enhancing the university’s sustainability initiatives was also a key discussion point Wednesday.
The SGA has $43,000 available for sustainable mini-grants to be given to students with unpaid sustainability-related opportunities or internships.
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Samantha Briggs, the SGA sustainability committee’s chair, discussed the committee’s plans for the spring during the meeting.
The committee will host a variety of events like EarthFest and the Student Sustainability summit, Briggs, a junior government and politics major, said.
It’s important for students to get involved in events like these, she said, because they help students learn about different components of sustainability and how they impact their lives.
