In final Fall Quarter meeting, Senate approves funding, fills selection committee

Shane McKeon, Development and Recruitment Editor

In its last meeting of the quarter, Associated Student Government Senate approved B-status funding for Winter Quarter and chose two students for a selection committee to find a new vice president for accessibility and inclusion.

The meeting was brief and attendance was sparse. During the initial roll call, the body was a few senators shy of quorum. Senate did not have enough members to vote until roughly a half hour into the meeting, when it promptly approved Winter Quarter’s B-status funding proposal.

Each student pays $174 per year toward student activities fees, which compose the budget ASG divides among student groups. B-status groups are smaller organizations that receive less in funding than larger, A-status groups.

Weinberg senior Kenny Mok chairs the B-status finances committee. Mok said demand for funding increased from last year, up to roughly $32,700 from $28,200 last Winter Quarter. The number of groups requesting funding also jumped: This quarter, 66 groups requested B-status funding, up from 56 this time last year.

Mok’s committee, as well as the A-status finances committee, doesn’t fund closed events, disposable items (such as plastic utensils) or food and drink.

Mok and the vice president for A-status finances, Weinberg senior Mackenzie Schneider, explained the funding process to new senators on Nov. 4.

Senate also elected SESP freshman Ben Powell and SESP sophomore Kevin Corkran to a selection committee to recommend a new vice president for accessibility and inclusion. The post was vacated after SESP junior Matt Herndon resigned on Nov. 18.

McCormick junior Wendy Roldan, vice president for student life, outlined ASG’s finals week “exam relief” events. Its programming will run from Sunday, Dec. 6, through Wednesday, Dec. 9, at Norris University Center.

Therapy dogs will visit Norris on Sunday at 2 p.m. On Monday, students can receive free massages at 7 p.m. and on Tuesday, they can participate in a free yoga session at 8:30 p.m.

Printing will be free at Norris from Sunday to Wednesday, and students can receive free coffee or tea every night at midnight during those four days.

The programming is part of ASG’s Take Time campaign, aimed at promoting mental wellness on campus.

“You get to come and play with dogs,” Roldan said. “It’s a great event.”

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Twitter: @Shane_McKeon