ASG handled B- and T-status funding and introduced a slate of new business this week, as well as holding elections.
Next on the agenda was funding for B and T-status groups. Two rounds of adding and cutting funding were set to take place. Prior to this, though, three groups petitioned to be included on the list of groups to be considered for additional funding. These three groups were Blast, Extreme Measures and Jewish Theatre Ensemble (JTE). All three were initially excluded from the list due to varying types of miscommunications in the applications process, according to ASG President Ani Ajith.
"It's the stuff we normally categorize as 'shit happens,'" Ajith said.
The three groups were allowed into the list, at which point the first of two rounds of funding changes began. Students for Sensible Drug Policy requested an added line for publicity funding and $20 for publicity funding, both of which were approved. JTE requested a total of $175 for costumes, lighting and program copies, which it eventually received, but not after a debate between JTE Business Manager Jacob Trauberman and the Student Groups Committee. The SGC argued that JTE shouldn't receive additonal funding because they had received a misconduct notice as a result of improper management of finances. Trauberman argued that the mismanagement was the result of miscommunications. After some input from senators both for and against funding, JTE eventually received the requested $175.
Three matters were introduced as new business. The first was a revamp of the For Members Only spring concert. FMO addressed plans to build a stage on the Norris East Lawn for the spring concert. The stage would cost $3100 and they requested anywhere from $3000 to $3500 dollars from ASG. An emergency location in case of weather was cited as the second choice of venue for the concert following the East Lawn, but such a place had not yet been determined.
Next was a joint presentation from Deering Days and AIESEC NU. The organizations are planning on teaming up for this year's Global Village by hosting it on Deering Meadow, but currently have no concrete funds for the project. Forty student groups are expected to perform, and the representatives from Deering Days and AIESEC predicted attendance of 700 to 1,000 people. They are requesting that ASG come on as a major sponsor.
The last item on the agenda was a proposed change in the way ASG campaign emails could be utilized in dorm halls. The primary changes would be the way that campaign emails could be outlined and how endorsements would be handled. The focus would be to place more responsibility on the campaigns themselves and not on Residential Service or hall governments. All three issues are to be voted on in the next meeting. In addition, the election changes would compel residential buildings, if they wanted to send out campaign emails, to pick a designated "sender" of campaign emails from within the residential building.
Senate also needed to fill seats in a number of committees. Petros Karahalios and Dana Leinbach were elected to the Chief of Staff selection committee, Adam Roth and Guilherme Chen were elected to the Financial Vice President selection committee, Jaime Toplin and Noah Star were elected to the Vice President of Student Committees selection committee and, lastly, Parag Dharmavarapu and Guilherme Chen were elected to the Vice President of Student Groups election committee.
Editors' note 7:05 p.m.: The various selection committees were incorrectly identified as "election committees." Further, the responsibilities of these selection committees are not to fill vacancies for positions, but to pick VPs for next year's term. Lastly, the article failed to report that the proposed change to ASG campaign emails would compel residential buildings, if they wanted to send out campaign emails, to pick a designated "sender" of campaign emails from within the residential building.