By Erica Klimchak

The Student Government Association held its first senate meeting last week where it tackled several key issues for the school year.

One issue was the campus-wide effort to help Hurricane Katrina victims. President Bill Brammell announced a coalition of several campus groups to provide relief funds to hurricane victims.

“This money won’t be going directly to New Orleans. Instead we will be giving 100 percent of the money collected to the victims that are being brought here to Louisville,” Brammell said

The SGA is in the early stages of planning its annual rally in Frankfurt. The SGA’s goal this year is to convince the Kentucky Legislature to use a portion of the state government’s $186 million surplus to stabilize U of L’s tuition.

Since the event has suffered from low attendance in past years, Brammell said the SGA is considering holding a Dave Matthews Band concert in Frankfort before the rally. The concert will be followed by a 1.6-mile march from the Frankfort Civic Center to the capitol building.

Nate Haney, SGA executive vice president, disbursed copies at the senate meeting of the proposed new constitution and by-laws. Debates will be held at a later meeting. The presidents of all of the councils will meet with their organizations and, if in mutual agreement, ratify the new constitution and by-laws. Once the constitution is ratified, a special senate meeting will be called to discuss the by-laws.

Academic Vice President Alicia Paez suggested making Pick-A-Prof a free service for students again. The popular Pick-A-Prof Web site that allows students to rate professors currently charges a fee, but until last year the service was free.

Paez also discussed establishing a Book List Initiative that would allow students to purchase their books from other students instead of bookstores.

“Using Blackboard for this program is a possibility,” Paez said.

Services Vice President Sowmya Srinivasan and senate member Jeff Howard are working on a public relations campaign to get undergraduate senate members involved with advertising for school events.

The SGA should also be present at the Health Fair, scheduled for Sept. 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. According to Brammell, the final draft of the Health Fee proposal should be ready in the next couple of weeks. The Board of Trustees will make a final decision after the final draft has been brought before the SGA senate.

The SGA is holding its annual Block Party Sept. 22. After the party the SGA intends to charter a bus to transport 100 students to the U of L v. University of South Florida football game.

Other upcoming events include the opening ceremony of the new intramural field on Sept. 15 at 6 p.m. and U of L President James Ramsey’s State of the University address Sept. 28