ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER
CATHOLIC VALUES COLUMNIST
Outdoor lights will be installed at the volleyball courts behind St. Thomas More Hall after Franciscan University Student Government passed a bill allocating funds to the project during its final meeting of the semester Wednesday.
Fall Bill 63 allocated $4,718 to Student Government for the purchase of a two-pole volleyball court lighting package to be installed behind the residence hall at the sand volleyball courts. The lights will allow students to play volleyball at night.
Sen. Monica Surovec, who lives on St. Thomas More’s ground floor, supported the bill, saying, “People have come through my window to plug in their own lights for volleyball, so I am in favor of this bill.”
Sen. Derek Markle said he and Sen. Anne Sweeney, both resident assistants, would appreciate the lighting because, “it will illuminate an area on campus that is unnecessarily dark.”
The lone senator to oppose the bill, Sen. Daniel McNichol, did not think that the ability to play volleyball for a few more hours warranted the $4,000 price tag attached to the lighting. Despite his opposition, the bill passed easily.
Fall Bill 64 reimbursed senior Michael Olenchuk, captain of the FUS Men’s Volleyball club, $625 for out-of-pocket expenses for the club. According to the bill, Olenchuk had personally paid for the club’s expenses. The bill passed unanimously.
Student Government passed two other bills allocating money to it.
Fall Bill 65 allocated $250 for the purchase of flowers to be donated to Christ the King Chapel to honor the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Saturday.
Fall Bill 66 reimbursed Student Government $12.12 for the purchase of Student Government stickers. Markle said that the original request for money – Fall Bill 56 – did not take into account shipping and handling, which came to $12.12.
At the end of the meeting, President Gabe Gessler thanked the body for their work this semester, specifically Treasurer Kelsey Scott-Avery, who will be going to Austria in the spring and will not be returning to Student Government.
Student Government will not meet next week due to finals and will resume next semester.