SGA senators allocated $990 to the student homecoming committee for Oct. 21-27 homecoming events in an unanimous vote Monday.
The money goes to the committee, which is linked with the Association of Future Alumni (AFA), to cover pep rally, parade and bonfire costs. The funds do not cover homecoming promotions. AFA student adviser Cheska Valentine said, “With SGA’s help, the Student Alumni Association can reach out to more students and increase participation in homecoming events.”
Executive President Haley Heath told the senate that SGA’s reserve account currently holds $62,533. At the same time last year, $261,279 was recorded in reserve funds. Heath said, “It’s just so you can kind of know where we’re at.”
Heath introduced UCA President Lu Hardin at the start of the first full-senate meeting of the semester. Hardin congratulated SGA on their new facilities and spoke of the working relationship between the student government and the president’s office. “Since 2002, when I became president of UCA, [the president’s office]has accomplished 90 percent of all of SGA’s requests,” Hardin said. Hardin said he will work with SGA’s 2007-2008 goal of improving campus security.
Besides donating money for homecoming, the senate passed two other motions that limit areas the student activities fee covers. Vice President of Finance Roby Butler proposed that the student activities fee should not pay for travel food costs, nor should the fee allot scholarship money. Butler said he had noticed receipts from restaurants such as Hard Rock Cafe, Olive Garden and Papa John’s, and he said he did not feel right using UCA student money to send others to those restaurants.
Butler also proposed cutting the $1,000 Miss UCA scholarship fund. Aside from special awards, the Miss UCA scholarship is currently the only scholarship SGA sponsors. The motion passed with two opposing votes. SGA published a list of their top goals for the 2007-2008 school year.
The goals include improving campus sidewalks and lighting, adding additional ID-swipe locks in dorms, extending room and board scholarships for off-campus students, converting the C-Store to be open 24-hours and beginning development of a student union.
All senators were present for the Sept. 24 meeting. The normal 5 p.m. meeting was called to order at 5:25 p.m.
