The University of Memphis has introduced several campus changes this semester, with officials emphasizing improvements to student safety and overall student experience. The updates were outlined during a Student Government Association town hall held Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. in the University Center Theater.
This year, SGA leaders say their main priorities are strengthening campus safety and increasing student engagement.
“Right now, SGA’s focus is to embody the student voice and make everyone’s time at Memphis a special one,” said Jamari Vongphrachanh, SGA chief clerk.
To expand student input, SGA recently changed the structure of its First-Year Senate. Previously limited to freshmen, the senate is now open to any student interested in sharing concerns or getting involved in student government. “We want First-Year Senate to be open to all students who are interested in SGA,” Vongphrachanh said.
During the town hall, SGA also announced plans to remove the Tech Hub in the University Center and replace it with a new student lounge.
“After the closure of the Multicultural Affairs office, many students said they needed a place to simply be students — a place to collaborate without disturbing someone’s office space,” said SGA President Chris Bailey.
The new student lounge will hold its grand opening Dec. 4 at 2 p.m.
“This event is open to all students and is a collaborative effort between us and the Division of Student Affairs,” Bailey said. “There will be food, and it will be a great opportunity to connect with other students in a space that is ours.”
The university also provided updates on campus security. Officials noted an increase in surveillance cameras, bringing the total to 1,300, and highlighted the addition of a new K-9 officer to assist campus police.
“We’ve had several incidents where individuals were seen looking into cars or breaking into vehicles,” said Keith Humphrey, University of Memphis chief of police. “Because of surveillance, we’ve been able to identify suspects. Having specialists monitoring those cameras has been a big help.”
As the semester winds down, SGA and university officials say they plan to continue gathering student feedback and rolling out updates. They emphasized that safety, accessibility and community-building will remain top priorities moving into the spring.
Darien Anderson can be contacted at djndrsn8@memphis.edu.
