Board of Governance: Group holds final meeting of the year
By SARAH NESTOR
News Writer
Saint Mary's Board of Governance held its last meeting of the year today as many students came to request funds for conferences and projects.
Megan Gamble requested $300 for her senior theatre comprehensive "The Most Massive Women Wins" because she is expected to cover the cost of the production. The Board decided to allot her $100.
Alison Ashley and Kristen Carrigen, Justice Education Club officers, also requested funds for two students, Laura Porto and Elizabeth Dezenzo, to be participants in the "Catholic Social Teaching Internship" this summer. They asked for $1,500 as a group but since it is only for two students the Board decided to grant them $600, the maximum amount any individual student can request.
"I feel like BOG is tuck in this cycle of students wanting to do these wonderful things but then make it BOG's responsibility to fund them," said Kristen Matha, student trustee. "I think as BOG we need to make a statement to the departments that if they want to generate opportunities they need to help fund them."
Hayley Dawson also requested funds for the annual Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology, Midwest convention that occurs in Chicago each year.
In past years, students have always covered their own costs. This year the seven presenters and three non-presenters requested that BOG cover the cost of $1,109 for the convention.
"These are students looking at graduate school and they get published through this," said Kim Jensen, student body president. "This really is not a big fee to ask for."
The Board passed the motion to grant the Psi Chi students the full request of funds.
Nicole Haebrle also requested funds to create unified Saint Mary's shirts for incoming freshman and transfer students to wear during orientation next year. This is the first time a unified shirt will be created for an incoming class.
"The orientation committee wants to increase pride in Saint Mary's," Haebrle said. "We want to create a shirt for the freshman to wear to the Saturday night function at Notre Dame during orientation."
The Board voted unanimously to grant the requested funds of $2,205 to the orientation committee in order to create the shirts. The shirts will be the same design as used this past year for Saint Mary's pride week.
Elizabeth Jablonski-Diehl, student body vice-president and Student Academic Council Coordinator, also spoke about the campaign this week for the proposed extra study day prior to finals. Surveys will be available in the dinning hall and will also be sent through e-mail to find out student's position on the proposed extra study day. At least 750 students need to fill out the survey to show faculty that there is student interest.
"Faculty want to see actual data, to see what students really feel about the study day," Jablonski-Diehl said.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the BOG's preliminary budget was presented to the Board and came to a total of $215,250. for the 2002-2003 school year.
All News Stories for Tuesday, April 23, 2002
