Even though students are only a few weeks into Fall Term, the Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) has been busy with restructuring, planning and coordinating events for the student body.

With newly renovated offices, a new hands-on approach to school spirit and working toward a greater student-outreach initiative, this year’s MSG officers are already making changes which they hope will benefit the campus as a whole.

Zach Dorsch photo: The new MSG offices are located on the bottom floor of the Student Union next to the Laker Inn. Students are invited to stop in any time.

The Carolyn Herrmann Student Union houses the Laker Inn, the Great Room and many of the student life offices so that everything is in a centralized and easily accessible location for students. The MSG offices were located in a small hallway on the top floor, but this year the offices have moved next to the Laker Inn.

“A lot of people didn’t even know that the offices were there before,” said MSG President Richard Molloy, “So the whole idea of moving downstairs was for accessibility. People can stop in and see what we are all about.”

The new location of the offices is much more accessible for students to stop in and chat with MSG members about various issues and events.

“I only quickly saw the new offices, but they look nice and feel much more welcoming, along with the new officers,” said junior Heather Christensen. “I applaud them for all of the hard work that has been done so far, and I can’t wait to see what this year has to bring.”

Aside from the Welcome Week activities for the freshmen, MSG also sponsored an Upperclassman Welcome Back Barbeque that had a turnout of 200-300 upperclassman students.

MSG Events Coordinator Jenna Dascanio designed the magnets that students received on the doors of their housing, as well as the popcorn given out to raise awareness for the DVD rentals available in the library.

Along with the new offices and various events that MSG has planned for the upcoming year, the group is also taking a new approach to campus spirit. With many students voicing their concerns about Mercyhurst’s lack of school spirit, Molloy and Vice President Brian Lombardo, with the help of fellow MSG executives, have made it a point to start new traditions in school spirit with the release of the new spirit shirts.

The purpose of the shirt is to have a unified sense of spirit and start traditions.
“If we can go to a football game and see the entire student section covered in these green shirts, it will simply show unity within our students,” Lombardo said.

Spirit shirts are at the Mercyhurst University Bookstore and cost $5.

MSG has open forums Monday nights at 8:30 that students are encouraged to attend, make suggestions and learn what is going on around campus. Meetings take place in the MSG chambers located on the top floor of the Student Union.