At the beginning of the meeting Jordan Brewer, junior psychology major, was hired as the new off-campus and commuter senator to replace Fair Yun. Following that, the senate continued their discussion from last week as they reviewed their experiences at the Student Congress on Racial Reconciliation conference.
Proposals
Samuel Jackson, Student Government Association vice president of marketing and communications, proposed $10,000 to establish a student scholarship program. Applications would open spring 2016 and students would be credited with the scholarship in fall 2016. Though the amount of each scholarship has not been officially decided, it is likely there will be a total of 10 scholarships amounting to $1,000 each. Further requirements, such as grade point average and essay requirements, have yet to be decided. Jackson expressed this would be the first implementation of an ongoing scholarship.
Philip Breaux, South Horton resident advisor and junior Christian ministries major, proposed $6,181.77 for Mosaic Masquerade, an annual event on the second floor of South Horton set to occur on April 30, 2016. In 2015, the floor proposed for $6,400 but only received $5,000. The funding proposed for includes 14 themed rooms, food, lighting, decorations and advertisements. This also includes $220 for the purchase of a dehumidifier to help control the level of humidity, and consequently the temperature, at the dance floor in the elbow lounge, a problem in previous years.
Common Grounds shift supervisor and senior communications major Gavin Sweeney proposed for $546 to host Common Grounds music nights. The first event is set to occur on March 4, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. regardless of receiving funds from SGA. The money is set to go toward fees from event services to set up a sound system and stage, and for marketing.
Alicia Hoverson, Stewart RA and senior marketing management major, proposed for $3,000 to host a StewBQ. This year is Stewart’s 50th anniversary and Hoverson expressed she would like this year’s event on April 8, 2016 to begin an annual tradition. The funds would cover food, decorations and games to host an event that welcomes all of the Biola community to attend.
Alpha East RA and senior intercultural studies major Kayla Bumpass proposed for $470 to fund an event titled “Shed the Shame Project.” This two-day event on March 17 to 18, 2016 is intended to create the opportunity for women to come forth and express their sin, encouraging attendees to be open about their struggles in order to better address them. The funding covers 100 t-shirts, marketing and supplies for the Friday night campfire event. Thursday night women can come together for prayer, worship and an opportunity to write their sins on the t-shirts. On Friday, attendees would carpool to Huntington beach to burn their shirts as a physical symbol of shedding the shame accompanied with their sin.
Jacob Keeth, Hart senator, proposed $142 for a survey incentive prize of a portable Bose Bluetooth speaker. The survey, stemming from the Student Development President Administrative Council partnership, will be available for all students to take online. To be eligible for the prize, students would enter their email at the end of the survey, which would not be connected to their responses.
Voting
The amount of $1,800 for the proposal for Biola Counseling Center scholarships passed in full in a unanimous vote of 14-0-1.
A total of $3,893.09 passed in full in a vote of 14-1-0 for iPad Mini 4s for SGA to use to collect student surveys on rounds. This amount exceeds the amount of $2,977.64 for 13 iPad Mini 4s or $1,562.51 for 13 iPad Mini 2s. The senate decided that it was beneficial to purchase 15, rather than 13, iPads. With 15, the dorm or community can have its name engraved on the back for free.
Voting for this meeting’s proposed initiatives will occur on March 3 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
