Newly elected senators and students asking for funding for clubs and activities filled the room at the last St. Ben’s Senate (SBS) meeting of the year.
Sophomore Courtney Kimball and Kunihiro Shimoji asked for $3,500 to fund Kimball’s attendance at the Japan-American Student Conference, which she will be attending in the summer. Senator Burgason raised concern about the high cost for just one student.
Kimball explained that the CSB/SJU campuses will benefit because she plans to implement the knowledge and bring back aspects from the conference.
“We would bring back positive things to share with students,” Kimball said.
The senate granted Kimball $2,000, instead of the requested $3,500.
Mary Geller, CSB vice president of student development, spoke next, asking the senate to consider her request to fund the position of a CSB club commissioner to enhance the club sports program. The requested amount for the position is $12,500.
“I see a total need for this,” Trustee Hauff said. “It’s a great thing for us to fund and it helps student activities.
Senator Moss expressed opposition to the club commissioner position on her belief that salary funding should not be depended upon senate, and but instead institutional dollars.
Senior Kathleen Lutz spoke on behalf of the Peer Resource Program asking for $375 for food funding for Sexton in the City, an event for students to play with their bands.
“It’s a really cool event because it promotes students to continue with their music,” Lutz said.
The motion to allocate $375 to Peer Resource Program to fund Sexton in the City passed 15-2-0.
Next, first-year Connor Klausing addressed the conflict with clubs and funding. He explained how 30 clubs did not file in time to receive funding. Klausing claimed that the club advisers for 15 clubs were at fault because they did not meet the deadline for the funding contract submission.
Senator Finley cleared the confusion.
“Funding will be available for these clubs and we’re not punishing them, but we are sticking to our guidelines,” Senator Finley said.
CSB students Natalie Keane, Jackie Carlson, Anne Burns and Stephanie Pinkalla informed the senate about their greenhouse project, Coming Full Circle. The greenhouse will be located on the CSB campus, will grow food that CSB food services will purchase. The students explained how the Greenhouse will reduce the carbon foot print, save
money for food services, create an outdoor classroom and provide work study jobs. The students asked the senate to fund $5,000 of the total projected cost of $18,000. The SBS passed the motion, granting $5,000 to the greenhouse imitative.
Senator Madeline Hansen asked the senate for support of the abolition of trays on the CSB and SJU campuses, a motion which will help make the schools more sustainable.
“I think it’s a great initiative. If the University of Minnesota was able to do this, I think we should be able to too,” senator Krause said.
The SBS supported the motion of a trayless CSB/SJU.
The meeting ended with a farewell to all the graduating senators.
Tags: CSB Senate