USG approves Summit Singers as university club

A new committee of Undergraduate Student Government members will review the organization’s entire constitution for mistakes and structure issues.

President Mike Orth said Sunday that the committee was created to help eliminate errors and help distinguish between simple changes and those that require constitutional amendments.

“This is just purely an advisory committee that will help highlight parts that need to be changed and how they need to be changed. Then they will bring it back and the exec board and USG as a whole will look at those,” Orth said.

Along with the new constitution committee, two constitutional amendments were proposed. The first, a $1,800 per semester and $2,600 per academic year cap on reimbursement for club conferences and competitions. The amendment would also only allow a club to request conference and competition funds one time per semester.

The second amendment would require clubs to submit a summary of the conference or competition in addition to copies of receipts. Miracle Vansiea, vice president of finance, said the second amendment is a general rule that should be reflected in the constitution.  121007_USG_Update

The council will vote on the amendments Nov. 4. If approved, the amendments will join another amendment on club finances passed earlier this semester.

Six club requests for conference and competition funds were approved and budget requests for Omicron Delta Kappa, Students for Marriage, and the Investment Club were approved.

Summit Singers, a 14-member all-male a capella group, was unanimously approved as a university affiliated club.

Sophomore Chad Berg said the club already had a presence on campus last year and performed at events including the STAR spring concert with Mat Kearney.

“Last year we had a lot of fun, we did a lot of practicing with each other, but now we’re looking to take that next step. Getting that group status, we can just further that contribution and become even more a part of St. Thomas,” Berg said.

Vice president Jenna Johnson said the wellness committee had its first “Snack for Free with USG” event on Tuesday. She said the event replaces last fall’s “Party in the Library” and will feature healthy snacks at 10 p.m., every other Tuesday in the library.

Heidi Enninga can be reached at enni5264@stthomas.edu.