By Peter Baugher
Staff Writer
Franciscan University Student Government (FUSG) passed Fall Bill 16 at its March 1 meeting, restoring some funding to Franciscan’s FATAL ultimate team.
On Jan. 25, 2023, FUSG allocated over $900 to FATAL under Fall Bill 2. However, FUSG repealed Fall Bill 2 on Feb. 1 with the impression that FATAL failed to follow athletic club funding procedures.
On March 1, FUSG approved Fall Bill 16, which allocated $500.46 for FATAL to rent vans for a tournament the weekend of March 4 through the fifth.
FATAL President Max Schmiesing did not respond to a request for a comment on the passage of the bill.
Senators also passed Fall Bill 15, allocating $1,500 from the contingency to host speaker Karlo Broussard for a Q&A session on campus on May 2.
The bill refers to Broussard as “a nationally recognized Catholic apologist” and adds, “bringing Karlo Broussard as a speaker is one of the campaign promises of the Life in Abundance Administration.”
President Jared Johnson said he is currently helping to plan the Annunciation Fest on campus, adding that the event will include “a game show, competition and student musical acts.”
Johnson also said that FUSG plans to speak with the individual who is handling the university’s response to the East Palestine train derailment.
The crash has led many people living in the Ohio River Valley to question the safety of local drinking water. The city of Steubenville and the university have assured the community and the student body that city drinking water is safe.
Last week, Sen. Andrew VanDevere called on FUSG to address the issue and said that university administration should be more transparent with information.
At the March 1 meeting, VanDevere said that a student he knows personally left campus in the last week. VanDevere added that the university should be aware students are leaving campus due to concerns about water safety.
FUSG meets every Wednesday at 11 a.m. in the St. Leo room, located in the J.C. Williams Center next to Cupertino’s coffee shop