“This is it! Retirement is coming,” said President Jerry Lherisson, a senior.
The final full senate meeting of the semester for the Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA) was Dec. 7, and most discussion focused on the requested budget of one club.
Vice President Emma Drongowski, a senior, began by thanking the senators for their hard work this semester, adding that they don’t get paid and often don’t get credit.
“It’s pretty crazy to think about all that we’ve accomplished this year,” said Drongowski.
She asked senators to make a list of what they accomplished this semester and include two tasks they hope to accomplish next semester.
Secretary Lee LeBoeuf, a junior, updated the full senate on the state of composting.
“The reason we stopped composting is because the place in Delaware that took our composting is no longer doing so,” LeBoeuf said.
She added that there is now wireless printing in the Welch and Hayes computer labs.
Kimberlie Goldsberry, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs and WCSA adviser, reported that revisions to OWU’s pet policy are still being considered. Feedback about the policy has been gathered from members of the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Small Living Unit (SLUs) moderators.
The feedback included a request for the pet policy to remain the same until the end of the semester or the school year.
Goldsberry noted that some change is expected for the spring semester. Changes that could eventually be made are requiring dog owners to cage their dogs whenever the dogs will be home without them and not allowing cats to roam houses when their owners aren’t home.
Goldsberry also reported the news of two babies recently born to faculty and staff members. Dr. Brandt, Associate Professor of Psychology, had a daughter born Dec. 1 and Leslie Melton, Director of Career Services, had her daughter Dec. 4.
Recently, the Administrative Policy Committee (APC) proposed revisions to WCSA’s constitution, and senators voted unanimously at the meeting to accept the revisions.
Conversation shifted to financial matters, and Treasurer Graham Littlehale, a junior, said 53 budgets for next semester have been reviewed.
Campus Programming Board (CPB ) and Faith and Justice Club requested the most money.
Littlehale explained that CPB’s funding request was for the spring’s annual Bishop Bash, which would feature a non-musical performer this year.
“Last year it was really well-attended,” Littlehale said. “A lot of the surrounding community came.”
He said the budget committee knows the performer CPB plans on bringing in and it is someone widely known, but they cannot yet say who the performer is.
Six clubs were not awarded any money they requested, though they can apply for supplemental funding in the spring. Five of the groups did not receive funds because they did not send representatives to mandatory budget training.
The budget committee denied the requested funding for the Pre-Law Club for a different reason.
Sam Schurer, a junior, said there have been issues with the group in the past because they are so closely affiliated with the Pre-Law department. He said the club’s budget was turned down last year and the problem was explained to club members.
“Here we are a year later and nothing has changed,” Schurer said.
He added that this year’s budget request was also a lot of money per student.
Lherisson, a member of Pre-Law Club, made an argument for the group and for the Moot Court trip the budget request was for, stating that some of the close affiliation with the Pre-Law department was due to the group’s adviser and that the Moot Court team performed very well when they competed last year.
A motion passed to separate out the Pre-Law Club’s budget request in order to vote on the other requests. All the other budget requests were approved.
Goldsberry suggested the Pre-Law Club receive written advice and instruction, and she urged the senators “to strike a balance” between supporting the group and its endeavors while also judiciously approving budget requests.
The budget committee will re-convene this week to further discuss the issue, taking into consideration the points made during the meeting.