By RAEGAN NEUFELD
Tiger Media Network
The Student Government Association met for a brief meeting on Thursday morning to conduct routine business.
One of the functions of SGA is to provide funding for student organizations and individuals through Allocations and Appropriations. Senators voted Thursday on bills regarding both, which consisted of line item changes and trip requests. Treasurer Jackson Sinsel spoke to the senators about the line item changes during his report to explain why they are needed.
“Sometimes groups can change what events they want to go to or say they don’t want to do something anymore,” he said. “Line item changes are just to move that money around so that they can use it because otherwise, if your money’s all locked away on one trip that you’re not going on, it’ll just sit there unless we move it around.”
The trip requests passed at the meeting totaled $1,000. Last week, after senators voted to move money from the Allocations account to the Appropriations account, they discussed the possibility of lowering the amount available for Appropriations requests. However, due to travel costs, the Appropriations Committee has no plans to change the amount.
Aside from voting on bills, senators also heard updates from the executive staff about what they have been working on. President Ella Burrows spoke about next semester’s Big Event, an annual day of service projects around campus and the community. She submitted the event to be a part of I Fed the Tiger, which allows donors to give money to student organizations.
“So starting October 14, alums and our friends and family will be able to donate to the Big Event through the Fort Hays Foundation,” she said.
Legislative Affairs Director Grace McCord reported she has organized car rides to the polls on Election Day in November. SGA offered this service for the first time last year to ensure voting is accessible for students. Similarly, a resolution was passed last week that recommends voting be made an excused absence for students who are registered to vote in their home district.
The resolution states that SGA “recognizes that in order to be an engaged global citizen-leader, it is imperative that one fulfills their civic duty by exercising their right to vote.”
Other SGA announcements
- Career Services is hosting Suit Up With JCPenny from 6 to 8 p.m. on October 7 at Big Creek Crossing. The event will offer discounted professional attire for students.
- Pi Sigma Alpha and the American Democracy Project are hosting a talk at 7 p.m. on October 7 in the Stouffer Lounge. Political Science professor Jay Steinmetz and SGA senator Mayn Paz will discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and answer questions.
The next SGA meeting will be at 7 p.m. on October 9 in the Black and Gold Room, but the location is subject to change.