This year’s Student Government Association elections are quickly approaching, with the first interest meeting taking place this Thursday from 3-4 p.m. in the Campus Center basement, Room 54.

More SGA interest meetings will be on Aug. 30, Sept. 3 and Sept. 4 from 11 a.m.-noon. The Sept. 4 meeting will take place in the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building in Room 120. 

Once students have attended an interest meeting, they can start petitioning by getting signatures from their peers and then turning those in to Athena Triantopoulos, SGA vice president.

After that, students can begin campaigning and preparing for elections. Voting will take place from Sept. 6-9.

Each class will elect ten senators, one multicultural representative, one vice president and one president to represent the student body.

SGA president Josh Springer, senior financial management major from Helotes, emphasized his excitement for elections and encouraged students to run for office. 

Springer said he is looking forward to seeing students get excited for SGA. This year, SGA members are planning a Senate retreat, which is still being planned.

“My encouragement is that if people have even the slightest interest in joining, they should definitely do it,” said Triantopoulos, senior advertising and public relations major from Las Vegas. “At least attend an interest meeting because it’s the easiest, quickest way to get involved at ACU and to see how we function.” 

SGA is an organization in which students are elected to represent the student body. SGA is responsible for planning events and distributing its budget, which is provided by student fees, to the student organizations on campus. 

SGA’s budget is received from a percentage of student activity fees, anonymous donations, and the university’s general operating budget. Every year, SGA conducts a budget meeting in which organizations can seek and receive funding. The date for this meeting has yet to be determined.

SGA is also in charge of hosting the Tree-lighting and Christmas celebration, Lit-mas. Springer said officers are working to set a date for Lit-mas as well as potentially finding an artist to perform.

“I’m working with some artist who could come perform, but since none of that has been agreed upon by anybody,” said Springer. “I can’t reveal who’s in the running for those.”

Springer and Triantopoulos are optimistic about this year and are excited about the upcoming elections.

“If you have a heart for service, it’s such a cool way to serve,” said Triantopoulos.