SGA passes bill to implement NanoSeptic door handles across Liberty
Students may have noticed the green and white, pad-like additions to the door-handles of certain doors at the Jerry Falwell Library. Previously implemented in the Liberty University School of Medicine and Liberty Christian Academy, these inconspicuous pads (NanoSeptic Surfaces) could potentially change student life on campus for the better.
Merely two weeks into the 2019 fall semester, Delegate for the Student Government Association (SGA) Shane Stelter, a junior studying public health, decided to address mass-spread illnesses like influenza on campus.
When visiting Liberty University’s School of Medicine at the beginning of the semester, Stelter noticed pads on the door handles and became curious about them. He learned about NanoTouch Materials, a company that sells a product called NanoSeptic Surfaces. The purpose of these NanoSeptic Surfaces is to continuously clean themselves to rid themselves of harmful bacteria. When these surfaces are exposed to light, their mineral nanocrystals break down contaminants, and the oxidation reaction cleans stronger than bleach, according to CISION PR Newswire. These surfaces are completely safe to the touch and self-cleaning.
Stetler said his motivation in advocating for NanoTouch Surfaces was to decrease the spread of sickness on campus.
“How much class are you missing if you
get the flu?” Stetler said. “I was looking online and found that you could be out for two weeks if it’s bad or maybe just a week if it’s not. Even then, that’s just piling on schoolwork and now you find yourself behind. And so my initial goal was to take (the NanoSeptic Surfaces) and spread it across campus, especially in places like the dorms, because that’s where people spend most of their time.”
The NanoSeptic Bill has quickly made it through the SGA’s Senate and House of Delegates with little objection and has also been signed by Student Body President Derek Rockey. The bill advocates for the cost-efficient NanoSeptic Surfaces to be utilized on door-handles campus-wide. Stetler hopes that in the future, the handles will be implemented in the Vines Center, where student exposure to illness is very high due to Convocation.
As of now, the bill has been passed as far as possible through the SGA, so it is unknown if the bill will be approved by Liberty University itself anytime in the near future. Stetler said students should recognize that the SGA is in place to represent them.
“If anybody has any future suggestions, then join SGA or talk to somebody in SGA. We are here to serve you,” Stetler said.
For more updates on SGA legislation, follow the organization’s Instagram account
@libertyusga.