The Student Government Association will potentially draft a response to Gov. Bill Haslam’s privatization plans according to discussion from the Wednesday, Jan. 27 SGA meeting.

Haslam’s privatization plans would potentially mean the loss of 100 jobs and $3 million according to the APSU’s Staff Senate’s letter of dissent.

Privatization would potentially see trade work like landscaping and electrical work outsourced to companies outside of APSU, eliminating jobs from the Physical Plant.

SGA President Will Roberts opposed privatization because he said the workers in APSU’s physical plant have a more personal relationship with the campus.

“Currently we have a direct relation with those men and women who work [in the physical plant],” Roberts said. “They know the institution and work here so there’s going to be more ownership of things when they come to do the job.”

The Senate agreed to draft a statement against privatization after some discussion.

Roberts also presented Resolution No. 1, which would honor previous Tennessee Board of Regents Chancellor John Morgan who retired on Sunday, Jan. 31.

Morgan, an APSU alumnus, announced on Jan. 7, in a letter to Haslam and TBR Vice-Chair Emily Reynolds that he would retire at the end of the month.

Morgan decided to retire as a result of Haslam’s plans to restructure the TBR school system giving universities like APSU and Middle Tennessee State University greater autonomy when it comes to their decision-making.

“After much consideration, I have decided to accelerate that timeline and retire at the end of the month,” Morgan said in his letter. “Given the announcement of plans to form separate governing boards for the six TBR universities, I cannot, in good conscience, continue as chancellor for another year.”

In compliance with the resolution, Roberts presented a plaque to Morgan on his last business day in office on Friday, Jan. 29.

The next SGA meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 4 p.m. in MUC 305.