CLIMATE CHECK
Sophomore Senator Eva Smith raised concerns about the Prassel Hall elevator’s overdue inspection. Sophomore Senator Nellie Clark said that there had been an inspection sticker from last August, but that it had been destroyed over time. President Omar Ratrut told Smith to request a work order on behalf of SGA to reinspect the elevator or replace the sticker.
CARRYOVER DISCUSSION — CONTINUATION
President Ratrut explained that he wanted to solidify how SGA plans to utilize last semester’s carryover funds. He and Vice President Madelyn Stovall discussed utilizing half of the funds, equating to $15,000, to invest in outdoor spaces. He mentioned funding new picnic tables and hammocks, and Stovall suggested additionally funding a swing set. Senator Smith asked if those funds could be used to fix existing picnic tables outside of Coates Student Center.
Ratrut explained that, according to Dean of Students Jessica Edonick and Vice President for Student Affairs Andrew Wells, the library and other campus areas, such as Coates Student Center, are supposed to be renovated within the next couple of years. Ratrut said he will look into the timeline of these renovations.
Many senators agreed that renovations to existing structures should fall onto Trinity, and that SGA funding should go to new campus amenities.
Vice President Stovall asked about the other half of the carryover funds and whether SGA should invest more heavily in outdoor spaces or if they should cap spending at $15,000. She asked about the possibility of bringing back “Project Home,” a previous system where SGA provided Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) with $200 every semester, no questions asked. President Ratrut mentioned utilizing a Google form for RSOs to request funds, but said SGA would only have the capacity to fund 20 to 30 RSOs. Junior Senator Darcie Gulick questioned how they plan to pick which RSOs receive funding, and said that due to SGA’s strict budgeting, it didn’t make sense to allocate funds to RSOs that did not have a specific need for them.
Senior Senator Rohit Shetty suggested allocating this money to the club fair, and Senior Senator Alexander Brown agreed, saying that SGA should get more involved with RSOs. Chief of Staff Bocar Diagana suggested sending out a poll to the student body with five funding options for students to choose from.
Senator Smith mentioned the Rewear Closet located in the Tiger Den, and suggested organizing a clothing drive that could revamp the available clothing options. Senator Brown suggested organizing a food pantry, but senators agreed that the upkeep would be too costly. Junior Inclusion and Belonging Chair Ayesha Farrukh said investments should be made in a community fridge, as it is a one-time purchase and could be maintained through donations and through collaboration with Mabee Dining Hall, reducing food waste.
CLASS SOCIAL ROUNDTABLES
Senator Clark presented a class social idea from underclassmen. She wants to host a “Groundhog Day” movie night in February where students can make paper flowers, eat snacks and converse with each other. Senior Senator Justin Wartell presented an upperclassmen social idea hosted at the Center for the Sciences and Innovation in March where students can eat churros and chocolate-covered strawberries. Senator Brown suggested having board games present for students to play at the event.
