The Student Government Association approved nearly $5,000 in appeals from Sigma Pi Theta and Emcomm, in Friday’s student assembly meeting.
Sigma Pi Theta requested $3,184, $1,500 of the funds will go towards a guest speaker event with Joshunda Saunders, a writer for Bitch Media, and the rest will go to promotional and giveaway materials, such as customized hand sanitizers, to raise money for their philanthropy.
“[Sigma] is working with a website called Bitch Media that provides feminist viewpoints on popular culture,” SGA’s Advisor Jason Meier said in the meeting. “They have contracted with Joshunda Sanders, who is a woman of color [and] an arts and pop culture news writer, and she’s going to talk about her journey as an intersectional human being who is working in journalism and pop culture.”
Emcomm, a marketing organization, appealed for $1,300 in funding for gear and operations costs, which would cover items such as promotional stickers.
SGA has approved three appeals since the spring semester commenced. The appeals, usually approved by the Financial Advisory Board and sent to Student Assembly only when topping $5,000 have been approved by the larger body due to a vacancy in the executive treasurer position.
“It’s just something that’s not normally done during Student Assembly, only because there’s not a treasurer,” Debrosse said. “Our treasurer, technically pro-tempore, is technically me, so we don’t necessarily need to vote since [the treasurer position] belongs to me.”
No place in the organization’s constitution dictates that a vacancy in the treasurer position would fall on the executive president. In fact, the constitution explicitly prohibits officers from holding two elected positions in SGA.
The organization also appointed three new members, filling vacancies in both its student experience and academic senates.
First-year students Brody Menzies and Jessica Saavedra were appointed to the positions of LGBTQIIA+ senator and Class of 2024 student experience senator, respectively. Sharon Boateng, a sophomore, was appointed to serve as journalism senator.
The organization, which has appointed seven members within the past two weeks, saw two resignations, one at the beginning of the spring semester and the most recent occurring within the last week. Executive President Lindsay Debrosse told The Beacon she was unable to comment on the identities of those who resigned.
“I’m feeling really good about our appointments,” Debrosse said in a phone interview. “We did have two people who resigned from their positions, and it was really tough. Spring semester does tend to be more intense than last semester, in the case of classes and the overall atmosphere.”
Debrosse said she understands why positions have remained unfilled or people have resigned, pointing to the stress of COVID-19.
“I can’t blame anyone, I’m feeling the exact same way,” Debrosse said.
