The Student Congress is currently in the process of allocating money to student groups’ requests to attend conferences.
The Alpha Chi National Honor Society, Shades, the Locavore Club and the National Student Speech-Language and Hearing Association appeared before Congress on Monday to request funds to help finance the conferences they plan to attend this semester. Applications for these requests were due Jan. 31. A representative from each group presented to Congress the conference they are attending and the reasons funding is needed.
Sixteen student groups applied for a total $39,883.23Â for conference funds. But SA only has $7,500 available to grant. Congress considered how to fairly divide the funds between student groups.
SA executive treasurer Carson Henley said to Congress members, “We need to be sure to grant each group a fair amount of money for conferences proportionate to their size.”
Congress also voted on the appointment of two new officers to replace Brandon Wilson, an off-campus representative, and Prentice Ashford, the junior class vice president. Wilson and Ashford resigned from SA due to time constraints and schedule conflicts.
Chad Kelley, the junior class treasurer, requested to be moved up to fill the role of junior class vice president. Congress accepted this nomination unanimously.
Katie Wood was voted unanimously by Congress to take the position of junior class vice president.
Wood said, “I transferred to ACU my sophomore year, and I’ve been looking for a way to get involved on campus. SA seemed like a good place to get involved.”
Victoria Tyson took up the duty of an off-campus representative. Tyson said she had wanted to apply to SA last semester but missed the deadline. She decided to apply again this semester. Congress voted for her nomination unanimously as well.
Executive President Connor Best also announced two points of interest to Congress.
In a move to become a more environmental friendly school, the ACU campus is participating in Recyclemania. This is an eight week initiative to encourage students to recycle. Cans, paper, plastic, and cardboard will be collected in new dumpsters located in front of Teague Special Events Center. This will help ACU benchmark where it stands compared to other universities. SA will be running a booth in order to encourage students to participate in Recyclemania.
Best also discussed the implications the Easter holiday had on the Rec Center. Many of the Rec Center’s employees and students will be gone for the holidays, but some students, especially international students, will remain at school for the three day weekend. Best said that SA should consider conducting a weekend tournaments for the students who stay on campus for the holiday.
Absent Congress members:
Cameron Bearden
Bo Braddock
Diamond Cobb
Katy Morrical
America Nava
Mackenzie North
Matthew Ray
Christopher Sisk
