SGA guests emphasize student engagement

VOLANTE STAFF REPORTS

At the University of South Dakota Student Government Association’s last meeting of the semester April 23, Director of Communications and Media Relations Tena Haraldsen and newly appointed Athletic Director David Herbster spoke to senators about the importance of increasing student participation at athletic events.

Herbster, who served as interim athletic director since December 2012 and whose new position was announced April 19, called students the “energy that can help provide momentum at games.”

“We need to find ways to engage students,” he said. “How do we elevate everyone’s spirit and commitment to be a Coyote?”

Haraldsen said the university was taking steps to solicit information from the students to see what would help get them to university athletic events. She said “at the heart of the issue” was a need to cultivate pride and respect for USD.

“We’ve stepped into Division-I,” Heraldsen said. “We’ve stepped into a whole new ball game. If we don’t step up, we’re going to look lame.”

During President Erik Muckey’s campaign in February, he and running mate Clay Hoffman identified developing a Divison-I tradition at the university as one of the issues they wanted to address during their time in office.

SGA also approved its

budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year.