SRSGA held a formal meeting on Monday, October 27 at 5 p.m. in the Smith Student Center to approve members of the SRSGA judiciary, recognize new student organizations and review new initiative requests. The meeting also featured Provost Michael Zieg as a guest speaker, who discussed upcoming programs being implemented at Slippery Rock University, along with the facilities plans to house them.
Guest Speaker
Slippery Rock University Provost Michael Zieg shared updates on campus expansion plans to support new programs in construction management, electrical engineering and nursing.
“This semester, we admitted our first classes of construction management and electrical engineering students,” Zieg said. “We also admitted our first classes at one plus two plus one nursing…working between Slippery Rock and either Allegheny Health Network or Community College of Beaver County to complete a nursing degree.”
SRU hopes to expand the nursing track into a full four-year program by 2026.
“Next year, if everything works out right, we are hoping to admit our first class in fall 2026 for four-year nursing,” Zieg said.
With enrollment growing, the provost emphasized the need for new facilities. “We’ve got facilities needs coming up,” he said. “Those we accepted this fall will first start their junior and senior specialized labs, so we need to have those labs ready in fall 2027.”
Plans include a new construction “Dirty Lab” in the boiler plant and two electrical engineering labs in Vincent Science Center. The Advanced Technology and Science (ATS) Building will also be converted into a clinical health facility.
“We would have nursing, PT from the PT building moved into ATS, and we would also bring PA and OT from Harrisville onto campus,” Zieg said.
To make room, chemistry labs will move to Vincent Hall alongside biology, and psychology will relocate to Patterson Hall. “We can’t go a single term, including summer term, without chemistry labs,” Zieg noted.
Long-term, SRU plans to convert the PT building into an engineering hub. “Engineering will be in the old PT building, and science and math will be in Vincent,” Zieg said.
The project will rely on reserves and existing STEM fees. “It will be expensive…there’s a lot of money involved,” Zieg said. “We’re going to be using reserves, and the STEM fees that many of you pay will also be part of our financing.”
He emphasized that no student fee increases are planned.
“It’s not going to change the amount of STEM fees at all,” he said. “The balances that have built up… we’ve dedicated those surpluses to work on this project.”
“This plan gives us the space we need for new programs and ensures those students have the facilities they need going forward,” Zieg said. “All of this is tentative, but I think it’s a fairly good plan for where we’re going.”
Approved New Initiative Requests
SRSGA approved several new initiative requests for campus organizations including the Growers Guild, the Sport Management Alliance, Club Basketball, and Rock PRSSA.
Recognized Student Organizations
SRSGA recognized several new student organizations, including Muslim Student Association (MSA), the Rock Forge Robotics, and the Rock-Climbing Club (RCSRU).
Inducted Judiciary Members
Motions to approve SRSGA’s newly inducted judiciary passed uncontested. SRSGA approved Hannah Ogoreuc, Mason Powell and Anna Goberish as members of the SRSGA Judiciary.
