ELISHA VALLADARES-CORMIER
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Franciscan University Student Government (FUSG) met March 8 to discuss the allocation of funds to two clubs.
Due to the absence of Vice President Clare McCallan, Chief Justice Ben Idzik ran the business meeting, as called for by the bylaws. Treasurer Danny Butters was also absent from the meeting, so President Jack Scanlon gave a rough estimate of the contingency fund. Scanlon said that the balance of the contingency fund should be in the area of $50,000.
Following this were the committee reports. Sen. Gabe Gessler spoke on behalf of the Finance Committee, saying that the committee had met to discuss Spring Bills 17, 18 and 19. Sen. Annie Arvidson then announced that the Student Welfare Committee had met to discuss several ways to improve student life.
Three bills were then presented during the formal introduction of new legislation, beginning with Spring Bill 17. This bill asked that a total of $117 dollars be reimbursed to members of the Young Americans for Freedom club who payed out of pocket for parking while at an event. Representing the club was Ben Idzik. Idzik told the body that several of the event attendees had already pitched to help with the costs, and that YAF hoped to recover the rest of its expenses. After some discussion, the bill passed unanimously.
Spring Bill 18 called for $1500 to be allocated the Outdoors Club for the whitewater rafting trip on April 9. According to the bill, the club expects a high turnout at the event, citing the demand for their ski trip last month. The cost of the trip will be $44.50 per person, $25 of which will be left to student to pay. The $1,500 that the club asked for would go towards the remaining amount.
Sen. Arvidson asked for clarification about the $4.50 park fee mentioned per person and asked if that cost was intended for each parked car, or if it was for all attendees. After clarification from the club president Eric Ternus, the bill was amended to clarify that the fee was for each person’s entrance into the park. The bill was then passed.
The last bill addressed was Spring Bill 19, for a reallocation of funds for YAF. The bill asked that $500 be reallocated from YAF’s local business initiative kickoff to printing costs for the initiative itself. Sen. Gessler spoke up and said that seeing as how this bill was merely a reallocation and was not asking for any new funds from FUSG, there should be no reason not to support the bill. The bill passed unanimously.
President Scanlon closed the meeting by wishing everyone a good spring break.
FUSG will next meet March 22 at 11 a.m. in the St. Leo Room.