On Wednesday night, Bowdoin Student Government (BSG) held its first meeting of the academic year in Moulton Union’s Main Lounge. BSG discussed several planned initiatives for the year and introduced the new first-year class officers.

Each BSG committee reported on upcoming programs and initiatives. Giovanna Parnoff ’28, chair of the academic affairs committee, announced plans for a Workday syllabi proposal that would allow students to access relevant course information before course registration begins.

Director of Student Activities Nate Hintze, who serves as BSG’s advisor, underscored how BSG proposals relating to academics often undergo a longer process than other initiatives because they are subject to negotiations with faculty and administrators. Nonetheless, Hintze believes BSG still has power to make impactful changes in academic areas, citing BSG’s advocacy for an extended Thanksgiving break, which was passed in 2023 and went into effect last year.

“I’ve been here long enough to see [the Thanksgiving] proposal fail again and again and again in that committee, and that year …, [with] the work they put in …, they actually changed the calendar for the foreseeable future,” Hintze said.

Last week, first-year class council elections took place, with results announced on Monday. These newly elected representatives were also in attendance. Whittier Henry ’29 was elected class president, Mellanie Salazar Carlos ’29 was elected vice president, Justin Zhang ’29 was elected treasurer and Fariza Samadova ’29 was elected programming director.

In addition to emphasizing BSG’s power to enact change at Bowdoin, executive board members also spoke about the value of BSG as a space for open, critical and engaged discussion, encouraging students to attend and express their ideas.

“Everyone here … has really invaluable things to contribute and a unique perspective. That’s why you’re here. We do want to hear them,” BSG President Alex Kruse ’26 said.