By Kelsi Peace, Managing Editor
The Students’ Association Congress spent the first of its $4,000 discretionary fund on free bowling and charity at Wednesday’s meeting.
Senior senator Alaina Bearden and junior senator Kelline Linton presented a bill for free bowling two days a week from 7 to 10 p.m. in the campus bowling alley.
“It’s just [for] ACU students, and that’s because they give us the money,” Linton said.
The senators said Joel Swedlund, McGlothlin Campus Center manager, approved the plan and reduced the price for SA. Free student bowling for the rest of the semester will cost $600, a price that will cover operating costs but will not yield any profit for the university, executive treasurer Kevan Kirksey said.
Congress passed the bill with 38 supporting and two votes abstaining, and with no debate.
Bearden, along with chief financial officer Spencer Hemphill, presented a second bill to Congress seeking funds.
Hemphill has spent the past several weeks organizing two Big Brother Big Sisters Bowling for Kids’ Sake teams composed of Congress members, and with nine members on the team, the bill requested $500 – an entry fee reduced from the regular $75 per person or $350 per team.
“If we have the cash, why not go ahead and pay the full price,” said senior senator Kyle Moore.
Congress amended the bill to pay the full $700 entry fee and passed it unanimously by voice vote.
Wednesday marked the first money appropriated from the discretionary fund, but several others expenses could be on the horizon. Vice president Daniel- Paul Watkins and president Matt Worthington said plans are in the works to offer a free Starbucks day to all ACU students, in an effort to serve students who are not in student groups as well. The Cabinet is still in the discussion stages with director of purchasing Anthony Williams, and did not have cost figures as of Wednesday.
Another pending cost could be “Def Poetry Jam,” but discussions for bringing the group to campus are still in the works, as departments must hurdle the financial setbacks. Worthington estimated bringing the group to campus could cost from $3,500 to $4,000, but would be distributed between several academic departments, including English and sociology, along with SA.
Next week, Congress will discuss Chapel policy with Dr. Wayne Barnard, university dean of spiritual formation, and Dr. Jean Noel Thompson, vice president of student life.
