At ASG’s Senate meeting Wednesday night, senators confirmed new Chief of Staff Lars Benson and voted to fund a Wild Ideas proposal.
Outgoing Chief of Staff and current Weinberg senior Isaac Rappoport swore Benson in after a unanimous confirmation (except for Benson himself, who abstained).
“ASG has been really important to me during my time at Northwestern,” Benson said in his introductory speech, “and my priority is making sure that ASG remains a strong institution and an institution that can make a difference, as it has in my life.”
Benson’s first action as chief of staff was to present a new Wild Ideas funding proposal, known as NEMO, for Dillo Day. NEMO, or National Emergency Medical Organization, would create a pilot group of student EMT’s that could help anyone who needs medical or emergency assistance on Dillo Day. If that pilot goes well, the group would then establish a permanent NEMO on campus that could be present at other high-profile events on campus. Senators voted this proposal through unanimously. Senators also voted to add Weinberg freshman Adam Davies and Weinberg sophomore Alex Oltarsh to the Wild Ideas committee.
Senators also voted against a bill that would allow the chief of staff to sit in on A-status and B-status finance committee meetings. At the beginning of the meeting, ASG President Nehaarika Mulukutla announced that full-year Pell scholarships are now available, meaning students with Pell grants can get them over the summer as well. Finally, Mulukutla also mentioned there are plans in the works to host a Town Hall regarding the campus alcohol policy for event registration, especially for fraternity and sorority events that students should be on the lookout for.