SGA Resolution Supporting the Designation of
Torgersen Hall as a 24 Hour Study Facility

Sponsors: Melissa Yates and Thomas Haghdal

Whereas, a Library Hours survey conducted in the Spring of 2008, taken by 1729 students, reported 90% of students study between 5PM and 12AM, with 54% of students continuing to study in the hours from 12AM and 6AM, and

Whereas, Virginia Tech does not have any on-campus study facilities that are designated for all students open past 12:00 AM Sunday-Thursday or past 8 PM on Friday and Saturday night, and

Whereas, the study lounges in some dorms do not have internet access, and

Whereas, almost 30% of the student body lives on-campus (9,100 of 30,380 in fall 2008) 2 and therefore does not have reliable and practical transportation to the Math Emporium (currently the only designated study facility for all students open 24/7) after Blacksburg Transit routes close, and

Whereas, the same Library Hours survey reported 63% of students indicated disappointment in the current hours held by the study facilities on campus (i.e. the library), and

Whereas, 50% of students noted they study the majority of the time in their bedroom/dorm room, and 76% of students indicated the fact that they would utilize a study facility with more accessible hours, and

Whereas, the Newman Library staff have said their current budget does not support extended hours, and

Whereas, Torgersen Hall is already used by many students between the hours of 9PM and 5AM for studying, and

Whereas, Torgersen is a large enough facility to offer many students the ability to have quiet study in several lecture halls, computer labs, sitting areas, and group study tables, and

Whereas, officially designating Torgersen Hall as a 24 hour study facility will require minimal supervision and related additional security costs, and

Whereas, the building can be patrolled and secured throughout the night by VTPD Officers stationed nearby, and

Therefore;

Be it resolved, the Virginia Tech Student Government Association, in representing the Undergraduate Student Body of Virginia Tech, supports officially designating Torgerson Hall, excluding Torgersen Bridge, as a 24 hour on-campus study facility complete with all necessary security precautions.

Be it further resolved, the Virginia Tech Student Government Association offers an undergraduate student representative to serve on a committee charged with planning the logistics of opening Torgersen Hall as a 24/7 study facility.

Hokies Helping Haiti

February 1, 2010

7:30-9:15pm

Squires Colonial Ballroom

Squires Student Center

Agenda

1. Welcome, 7:30-7:35
2. Call to Order, 7:35-7:40
3. Breakout session update, 7:40-8:15
   1. Public Education
   2. Broad Based Fundraising
   3. Special Event
   4. Logistics
4. Breakout Presentation to Groups, 8:15-8:40
5. Key Questions
   1. Sponsor Jars?
   2. Donation Count?
   3. List of Events
6. Morgan Harrington, 8:40-8:50
7. Group Questions and Coming to a Consensus, 8:50-9:00
8. Open Forum, 9:00-9:15 (or longer)
9. Adjournment

Questions? E-mail me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

For the 2010 4/16 Day of Remembrance, Virginia Tech will be holding its first ever Hokie Stone Event.


Hokie Stone: An Event of Student Shared Knowledge
(based off of TED Talks from www.TED.com)

April 16th, 2010 from 11:00am-4:00pm in Squires Colonial

This showcase will bring together a diversity of innovators, leaders in their field, activists, and other student speakers of diverse backgrounds who educate others, stimulate change, and serve others by teaching and inspiring our Hokie community to uphold our motto of, Ut Prosim, while also making strides to Invent the Future.
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We are now accepting proposals to find charismatic, dramatic and thought-provoking student presenters to give the talk of their lives. 

If you're excited about physics, or knowledgeable about skydiving, or a master of culinary arts, or anything else then we'd love to hear about it!

Speakers should be able to tell an interesting story, reveal something surprising and cutting-edge, give a performance the audience will remember forever, or share an idea that could change the world.

All proposals are due April 2.

Want to be highlighted as one of our keynote speakers?
Submissions will be voted for on this facebook page. Keynote proposals due March 26.

Go to http://www.hokiestone.org.vt.edu to submit a proposal or find more details.





Sponsored by:
Virginia Tech Office of Recovery & Support
Graduate Student Assembly
Student Government Association

As students at Virginia Tech, our tuition is expected to rise around 9 percent a year for the next four years. In these dire economic times, making college accessible to all is even more critical for the future of the commonwealth.