This edition of Council Clippings covers the UHR and GSS meetings from Nov. 24, 2009.
The African American Student Union (AASU) requested funding from SGA to bring one high-profile speaker and two moderators for a town hall style discussion, as part of the Black Leadership Conference.
The organization aimed to bring Jeff Johnson, a prominent news commentator as the key-note speaker and Louis Ramos and Roland Martin to moderate the town hall. The bill totaled approximately $20,000. GSS members debated the necessity for two high profile speakers to moderate a town hall meeting, and ultimately failed it 7-17-2. UHR members felt that the cost was justified and passed the bill 26-16-3. However, the bill did not meet the enactment ratio necessary to pass and hence it ultimately failed.
UHR and GSS passed a resolution supporting the expansion and renovation of the Student Center. The Student Center was designed in 1969 to serve a campus of roughly 7000 people, but now serves a campus of over 20,000. In recent years, the Student Center has had the tendency of being extremely crowded, especially during peak hours. The resolution does not monetarily tie SGA to an expansion of the Student Center, but it merely supports the idea of planning an expansion of the facility in the future.
A bill was put forth requesting $5000 from SGA on behalf of the Campus Movie Fest organization to host its annual movie festival at Tech. The funding requested was to pay the national organization for the registration fee and equipment rental fee for the event. During the event, teams of students are given HD cameras, laptops and various other film equipment to make 5 minute short films, which will be screened during the end of the event at the Ferst Theater. According the organization, the event would impact roughly 2000 people. The bill passed UHR 40-0-1.
The Rowing Club requested funding for three motors, two boats and eight indoor rowing machines. Two of the motors were destroyed during a flood. Due to an increase in membership, the club requested funding for the additional indoor rowing machines and new boats, one of which would be used with the third motor to be purchased. Currently, the club claims to total almost seven hours a day on the machines available at the CRC. The bill totaled approximately $14,100. It passed GSS with a total vote of 24-1-1 and the UHR 39-3-1.
The Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC) requested $1400 from SGA for a trip to Nicaragua in order to volunteer at a children’s clinic and perform community service in the surrounding area. GSS passed the bill with a vote of 15-10-1 and UHR passed the bill 43-2-0
The Student Center Programs Council (SCPC) requested funding from SGA for the amount of $20,000 in order to bring Bill Nye the Science Guy to campus. Following JFC policy, the bill was amended to the amount of $17,500. The bill passed UHR 33-12-0. See nique.net for GSS vote.