University President Julie Sullivan spoke, new members were sworn in and a discussion about altering prize budget request forms for clubs occurred at the Undergraduate Student Government general council meeting Thursday, Nov. 12.
Guest speaker: Julie Sullivan
Sullivan spoke about changes within the university amid the pandemic, particularly the recent announcement of free testing and a quiet period. Sullivan thanked USG and the student body for their compliance with university regulations.
“If it weren’t for what you have been doing all semester, frankly, we wouldn’t still be open,” Sullivan said.
USG Executive Vice President Adam Revoir asked Sullivan if the university had a plan in place to go online if cases continue rising after Thanksgiving break. Sullivan said that while the university is prepared to make that change, it will try to stay open as long as possible.
“I would hate to go back to how we were last spring. I can tell you that.” Sullivan said. “That was quite depressing.”
New members sworn in
USG President Michael Sullivan swore in new members from last meeting’s special elections.
New members include Jada Winston as diversity relations chair, Katie McGinnis as sophomore class senator, Jennifer O’Keefe as spirituality chair, Sean Kerns as freshman residential senator, Brandon Dash as commuter senator and Russell Bergstrom as Mac-Groveland neighborhood senator.
The positions of senior class senator and transfer senator are still open. Applications for students intending to run for these positions are due on Tommie Link by 2 p.m. on Nov. 18.
Prize budget request forms
Vice President of Financial Affairs Tyus Edmond presented a prize budget request form to USG. This form can be used by club leaders to request money for prizes since catering is no longer an option for clubs amid the university’s quiet period.
“The reason you have the food request is that a lot of clubs use food to encourage, recruit and engage students in your meetings,” Director of Campus Life and USG adviser Margaret Cahill said. “So the idea was to come up with some ways to engage students differently.”
Due to logistical concerns about gift card purchases that were not specified in the document, Revoir suggested that the Finance Committee discuss this further before USG votes.
Club funding
USG approved $2,920 for Asian Students in America for catering, $2,268 for Chi Alpha for catering and events, $250 for Students for Justice and Peace for an online event and $800 for Society of Women Engineers to pay for a national conference.
Vice President of Academic Affairs Tiaryn Daniels raised concerns that clubs would not be able to use catering funds amid new university restrictions on in-person events.
Edmonds assured USG that if the funds were not used, they would roll over to the spring semester.
Annie Terry can be reached at terr2351@stthomas.edu.