Student Government limits funds for conference registration

Students+discuss+ideas+before+adjourning%C2%A0at+the+Student+Government+and+City+Council+meeting+on+Oct+23.%C2%A0

Students discuss ideas before adjourning at the Student Government and City Council meeting on Oct 23. 

Cassie Lehmann

Student Government was visited by a university counsel regarding the chalking policy, discussed Student Government’s Priorities and Criteria modifications and funded two campus organizations at Wednesday night’s meeting.

In the fall, Iowa State implemented a temporary chalking policy putting regulations on what can and cannot be chalked on campus.

Mike Norton, a university counsel, spoke on the policy. Currently, the policy says chalking would be restricted around the Memorial Union and the surrounding area, along with the historical quad space, the Anderson Sculpture Garden, the George Washington Carver Plaza and the Knoll grounds.

The university counsel will be accepting comments and questions about the chalking draft policy until Feb. 5 at [email protected].

Additionally, the Senate’s last meeting was filled with multiple revisions to Student Government’s Priorities and Criteria requirements along with adjustments to what was deemed acceptable to fund for fiscal year 2021.

President Austin Graber later vetoed article 2019-3-008F, which had passed by a margin of 23-1-0.

Upon review of Graber’s veto, the bill was tabled indefinitely.

The Senate then reviewed Priorities and Criteria in the case of addressing funding for conferences and competitive trips. The policy initially said that “Organizations requesting conference registration funds shall be funded at half the cost up to $150 per individual per conference,” but it was changed to “fund at half the cost up to $100 per individual per conference.”

That section of Priorities and Criteria passed with a vote of 21-5-0.

Furthermore, Student Government reviewed two funding bills.

The Analysis of Social Services Evaluation Team (ASSET) account was funded $211,000 for fiscal year 2021 and was to be divided amongst non-profit organizations.

The account funding was to be increased by 2 percent every year; however, with the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) moving from funding through Annual Allocations back to the ASSET process, changes were made.

The Senate voted to transfer $48,000 to the ASSET account from the Special Projects account, putting the newly allocated ASSET account for 2021 total to $259,000.

The bill passed with a vote of 24-0-2.

The Ski and Snowboard Club also sought funding from Student Government. The club requested $1,200 be transferred from the Senate Discretionary account to be able to attend a competition this weekend. The funding request will cover the club’s registration fees.

The bill passed with a vote of 25-0-1.

For more information or to contact your senator, visit stugov.iastate.edu. The Senate meetings are open to the public at 7 p.m. Wednesdays in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.