How can the University of North Georgia make the Gainesville campus a place where students want to hang out, especially when the campus has so much to offer in and around it? The Student Government Association met at noon on Monday, Feb. 16 for their weekly meeting. A prevalent topic was how to make the Gainesville campus feel more like home.
The conversation was spurred on by the newly welcomed Bridge Club, which focuses on the importance of bridging the divide between students on controversial topics by having respectful, calm conversations. One of the ideas that was introduced was the addition of dormitories to the campus.
Will having students living on campus make the campus feel livelier and increase students’ desire to participate in non-academic activities?
“I don’t know, I just feel like I want to go to my classes and go home. I don’t really think I would have any interest in living in a dorm, though,” Phillip Brooks, junior marketing major, said. Many students voiced a similar opinion to Brooks’ sentiment.
They also floated the idea of interconnectivity to the Dahlonega campus and other ideas, such as having professors be more involved with clubs and the always-brought-up football team. Some senators suggested more joint events, improved communication about cross-campus activities, and collaborative club meetings as ways to strengthen unity across UNG’s campuses. “I mean, I’d probably be on campus more, but I don’t know if it would be for anything other than the football team. I don’t know, there just doesn’t seem to be any real reasons to stay.” Santiago Zapata junior film major.
“I’d consider living on the campus, the city around here is very nice but id want a little more on campus. Maybe more things to choose from to eat in the student center,” – Santiago Zapata, junior film major
It would seem that making the Gainesville campus a place where students want to hang around is going to be a tall task for the university to take on. While no final decisions were made, the discussion reflected a growing awareness within SGA that physical presence alone does not create community. Whether through housing, athletics, faculty involvement in clubs or expanded campus amenities, senators agreed that any meaningful change must address why students choose to leave. Making the Gainesville campus a place where students want to gather, study and socialize may be a complex challenge, but the conversation signals a willingness among student leaders to confront it directly. Future meetings are expected to continue exploring potential solutions and gathering broader student input. Gainesville SGA meets every other Monday at noon in the Robinson Ballroom, and meetings are open to the public.
