SGA announces plans for Sodexo-internationals summit

In light of recent events involving tensions between international students and campus foodservice provider Sodexo, the Student Government Association announced preliminary plans to host a meeting where the two sides can come to terms during their April 18 meeting.

After tensions reached a head at the open Student Forum last Wednesday where international students came forth and voiced concerns with Sodexo, the SGA Food and Housing Committee has taken it upon themselves to mediate a Sodexo Summit between representatives of several of the international student organizations, Sodexo, and university administration members, Vice President and Senate Chair Adam Haney said.

Although the issue originated from complaints that international students had been having with Sodexo, the meeting will be open to representatives of any student organizations and will also be open to the public, but only representatives of the student organizations will be allowed to speak.  Any other students wishing to voice their concerns are asked to send an email to the SGA email account, sga@cp.tamuc.edu.

"We're going to limit it to representatives for the purpose of not getting bogged down with continual discussions between the two, but we're going to open that up," said Haney.  "I'm going to set up a message on the student server asking for specific issues and complaints to be sent to the SGA email account so that we can take that and make an agenda that addresses everyone's concerns, and then that can be made public through the East Texan or other student forum so that we make sure everything is disclosed.

Haney also said he requested a copy of the contract between Sodexo and A&M-Commerce through a Freedom of Information submission.  The copy is available for any student or sentator to view in the SGA office in the second floor of the Rayburn Student Center.

In an email recently sent out to the entire student body, Haney asked students only to email specific policy concerns so they may be addressed directly with all parties involved. Only these concerns will be discussed.

The meeting is tentatively scheduled for some time during the first week of May, and all concerns should be emailed to the SGA email account no later than next Friday, April 27.

The Senate also heard a funding request from the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority for $166 dollars to fund a variety of events that the sorority is going to host to raise funds for charity. The events include a field day and renting the skating rink in Greenville. The proceeds will go to the Red Cross to help the victims of the recent tornados.  The Senate approved the funding request.