On Sept. 6, the Bucknell Student Government (BSG) held its annual retreat to welcome the newest representatives of the student body. Class elections, which were finalized on Sept. 4, saw new class presidents for all four class years at the University. These newly-elected officials participated in a two-hour session during their retreat where they learned about the functions and duties of BSG.

These various responsibilities extend beyond the simple task of voicing their respective classes’ opinions, because BSG members are also charged with leading and unifying their class years. This can be seen in the BSG constitution, as BSG states its intent to “ensure campus tranquility, and promote the general welfare of students.”

The first-year class in particular is keen to get the school year off to a positive start by ensuring that the grade remains close, even after leaving orientation and joining the remainder of the student body. Class President Dean Rizzo ’19 has even pledged over the official Facebook page to deal with problems ranging from “choosing what to eat at the Caf” to “issues as serious as campus safety.”

“We hope to accommodate and incorporate diverse perspectives in order to have a successful and meaningful first year at Bucknell,” Vice President Emily Shapiro ’19 said. 

Shapiro and Rizzo hope to accomplish this through events such as a “Screen on the Green” movie night and organized snowball fights. These experiences, they believe, will help the Class of 2019 and the student body as a whole to foster an even greater sense of community.

BSG is also tasked with organizing many campus-wide traditions such as First Night, one of the events discussed at this first meeting. This year, it was determined that the night, which commemorates the induction of the first-year class as alumni and true members of the University community, will be moved to October, as opposed to its usual date in January.

Regardless of the reasoning, First Night’s move has placed considerable stress on the brand-new BSG members, giving them little time to prepare one of the year’s largest events. Even with a task so large and with a far smaller time frame, BSG has promised that the evening will remain just as special.

Looking forward, there is little doubt that this new team can pull it off. A new election cycle may have brought in many new personnel to BSG, but that has not stopped them from creating an ambitious plan for the school year.