FUNDING REQUESTS
In their presentation, Trinity Diversity Connection requested a total of $37,565 for the 2025-2026 year. The presenters stressed that TDC has emphasized fiscal responsibility over the past year due to a 15% budget cut. They argued that they would benefit from the increased funding to ensure the organization’s continued campus presence through events over the semester.
Junior Senator Josh Mitra questioned why TDC requested funding for uniforms. The presenters clarified that the uniforms added a level of professionalism and allowed them a way of designating themselves as members at events. The uniform discussion persisted at length during deliberation, with most senators advocating for the allocation of funds for that line item. Collaborations Chair Dawson Wolff pointed out that the allocation of funds appeared rather “top heavy,” with around one-third of the funds toward programming expenses. However, most senators sided against this perspective. This deliberation concluded on President Areola’s statement that the organization did not spend what they were allocated despite budget cuts and were fiscally conservative.
The Trinitonian requested a total of $88,000 for the 2025-2026 year. The largest area of contention in this budget was an increase in the number of editions from 24 to 26. After a straw poll, the senators had a majority vote against the increase in editions to save money on printing and wages. The senators also deliberated about the budget for attending two conferences, arguing that money could be saved by sending fewer people to the conferences. After conducting a straw poll, the majority of senators voted to cut the budget with slightly more money allocated to printing to accommodate recent tariffs on Canada, where the Trinitonian sources their paper.
The Mirage requested $56,500. The funding request was focused on purchasing new furniture and equipment for the Mirage’s operations. The speaker highlighted that the Mirage does not have any cameras or computers, nor do they have working furniture for their office space. Multiple senators raised concerns and questioned if resources could be outsourced or borrowed from other departments including the Trinitonian or other campus spaces — all of which the speaker declined as options. During the deliberation, the senators stated that the Mirage was not profitable, and that there seemed to be difficulty selling copies to students. In a final straw poll, the majority of senators voted to finance less than the Mirage’s requested funds.
Recreational Sports requested $141,800 for the 2025-2026 year. The primary increase in budgeting was within the William H. Bell Center operations supplies and expenses item line, which increased from $14,325 to $60,000. The speaker argued that funding had previously been pulled from other departments and increased funding was required for maintaining and replacing machinery in the department.
President Areola asked a clarifying question about where this $60,000 estimate is coming from, and the speaker answered it was based on his experience of the real costs of maintaining the facilities. She added a follow-up question about the minimum number that would be needed to maintain the facilities, in which the speaker suggested that they cut the conferences and limit line items to $5,000 each. In deliberation, multiple senators suggested that SGA adopt the speaker’s suggestions. Other senators acknowledged that previous climate checks had been frequently raised about the disrepair of the Bell Center. After conducting a straw poll, the majority voted that the requested budget be cut significantly.
OFFICER REPORTS
The meeting ended with a discussion of SGA’s response to the updated Trinity Athletics Transgender Participation Policy. Senior Senator Jackson Delhagen and First-year Senator Nellie Clark wrote a resolution on behalf of the SGA senators to the student body regarding the policy. After Delhagen and Clark read the letter to the meeting members, they opened the floor to comments, questions and possible edits to the paper from the senators. This discussion intended to reach a final vote on whether the letter would be published.
First-year Senator Pilar Mier urged the senators to explicitly state that the change in policy originated from the current administration and president. Senator Clark, First-year Senator Eva Smith and DEI Chair Omar Ratrut countered that SGA must remain conscientious about the impact that the letter may have on Trinity’s autonomy under the current administration and the protection of the student population in the long run.
President Areola noted that the letter did not aim to condemn or speak on behalf of the university, but rather to provide support for students on campus. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of enacting actionable change on top of words of support to avoid performativity. Associate Dean of Students Benjamin Williams remarked that choosing to speak on this issue would create a precedent for the senators to comment on similar topics in the future — topics they have not previously spoken about. Mitra moved to table voting for the letter’s publication to next week with the intention of generating actionable items to accompany the letter, and the motion passed.
