CLIMATE CHECK
Sophomore Senator Nellie Clark asked about menstrual product upkeep in upper campus bathrooms. Senior President Omar Rartrut said that a third-party contractor that manages upper campus bathroom facilities is now responsible for maintaining the products. Ratrut suggested SGA subsidize them until the contractor takes over, and he will ensure that they implement this system in a meeting planned with the new facilities director next week.
Senior Senator Rohit Shetty said that an ice cream machine has been installed in a very tight corridor in City Vista, and that it is obstructing the ability for students to get past. President Ratrut told Senator Shetty to reach out to Facilities Services to have the machine relocated.
SENATE FUNDING REQUESTS
MOCK TRIAL: FULLY FUNDED FOR $1,936.65
Mock Trial requested $1,936.65 for an Arlington regionals competition. They spoke on their previous success, winning awards and reaching the national semifinals last year. Senators briefly asked questions about their overall budgeting, and ultimately decided to fully fund the request unanimously.
PARTNERS IN HEALTH ENGAGE: FULLY FUNDED FOR $3,000.00
Partners in Health Engage (PIHE) requested $3,000.00 for a training institute that takes place from Aug. 8-10. Team leaders must attend this training for the organization to maintain their active status on Trinity’s campus. First-year Senator Oliver Billings asked if SGA was allowed to fund outside of this fiscal year. Associate Dean Benjamin Williams said that they can fund the trip, but that the funds would be taken from the 2026-27 fiscal year. Senior Senator Alex Brown said that SGA would fund the trip regardless of the fiscal year, and motioned to vote. All senators unanimously voted to fully fund the trip.
ALPHA KAPPA PSI: FULLY FUNDED FOR $1,850.65
Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi) requested $1,850.65 to attend “Elevate,” a national AKPsi conference taking place in Chicago from Feb. 6-8. They spoke on members’ networking connections from last year’s conference. Sophomore Senator Eva Smith questioned the Uber transportation costs, and asked if there was an alternative. President Ratrut said that it is not up to SGA to decide the most viable option for the club. Senator Brown motioned to fully fund the request, which senators unanimously approved.
STUDENT MANAGEMENT FUND: DENIED FUNDING
The Student Management Fund (SMF) requested $5,984.00 to attend a Quinnipiac GAME Forum Conference held in New York from Mar. 18-22. SMF raised $19,500 since the fall for the trip, but needed additional funding to ensure all of their members could attend the conference. Since SMF is a class at Trinity, not a student organization, providing funding for the conference would go against SGA precedent. Many senators said that SMF operates like a club, and initially supported funding the request. However, Associate Dean Williams said that if they chose to fund SMF, SGA would then have to consider requests from any department, which could compromise their ability to be content-neutral. Ultimately, senators decided not to fund the SMF, with 12 votes against, 2 for and 1 abstainer.
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS: FULLY FUNDED FOR 2,700.00
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) requested $2,700.00 to host on-site CPR training for its members and the Trinity community, with a cap of 50 students. Senator Smith said that since the training is open to all students, it is worthwhile to fund. Senators unanimously voted to fully fund the request.
MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION: PARTIALLY FUNDED FOR $5,958.58
The Muslim Student Association (MSA) requested $8,658.58 for catering during the month of Ramadan. They aim to host two Iftars a week that would be open to the entire Trinity community. They also requested 27 $100 H-E-B gift cards for students who don’t have the means to make their own Iftar. Junior Senator Darcie Gulick questioned the gift cards, as it is precedent in SGA not to fund gift cards that could be used to purchase alcohol. Chief of Staff Bocar Diagona and Senator Brown supported funding gift cards, saying that Trinity’s available dining options are not culturally appropriate. Vice President Madelyn Stovall asked Associate Dean Williams if there was a way to avoid funding general gift cards and instead reallocate the funds to specific food items. Ratrut offered a remedial solution to not fund the gift cards and allow MSA to come to the SGA Finance Committee meeting next week to discuss other options. Senators unanimously agreed to partially fund MSA with these modifications.
AAPI COUNCIL: FULLY FUNDED FOR $4,708.26
The Asian American Pacific Islander Council (AAPI) requested $4,708.26 for their sixth Lunar New Year night market, including food, games and activities. Senior Senator Sabrina Cinque questioned the need for water bottles in the budget, as it can be unsustainable. Senators deliberated other options for water, such as using Chartwells or water fountains, but ultimately decided it would be hard to implement logistically. Eighteen senators voted to fully fund the event, with 1 abstaining.
