Senate allocates $6,000, postpones 2 others requests

Senate allocated $6,133 and postponed two allocations until the full budget from the second eight-weeks is added to Senate’s budget.
The first allocation was for $175 to the MTNA club for a trip to Baltimore. The club originally requested $925 for registration and food. The registration for the event is $35 per person.
AFB decided to cut $750 for food, which will be enforced for all clubs. AFB said they will not allocate money for food on trips for any club. AFB wants to promote fundraising and ask clubs to fundraise for money to cover the cost of food if the club does not want to make the members pay for the food themselves.
Senate allocated $5,253 for the PBL club for a trip to California for a conference competition. The club originally asked for $9,111. The club will use money for hotels, $3,070; gas, $300; parking, $128, and registration, $1,755. AFB cut funding for food and a van rental. The van rental was cut because AFB does not fund plane tickets, and AFB decided that the van rental was the equivalent of the plane tickets for this trip.
There was discussion about having a cap for lodging for clubs in the future, but no decision was made.
There were concerns that clubs would use the full amount if there were a cap set in place, rather than trying to find cheaper hotel rooms. There were also concerns that having a cap would hinder clubs from taking more members on trips.
The third allocation was $675 for 15 desk chairs at $44.99 each to replace the chairs in the Student Center around the computer desks.
Senate allocated $30 to paint the lids of the recycling bins to differentiate them from trash cans.
Spring Daze again presented its budget but Senate will wait to vote on the allocation until the money from the second eight-week classes comes in so Senate knows its full budget. The total Spring Daze budget is $37,000 with breakdowns for inflatables, $12,850; petting zoo, $8,000; free handouts, $4,424.28; pool party, $800; clubs, $2,500; Mr. & Mrs. Spring Daze, $500; wristbands, $20; contingency $800; decorations, $500; booth prizes, $500; and food truck, $5,000.
Senate is still considering allocating $10,000 for the Chadron Area Aquatics and Wellness Center but will wait on allocating until the money from the second eight-week classes comes in so Senate knows its full budget.
Vice Mayor of Chadron and pool representative Miles Bannan attended the Senate meeting to answer questions about the allocation. The pool is finished and is open. The pool committee came to Senate asking for a $20,000 allocation during the fall 2016 semester. Senate allocated $10,000 at the time and decided to wait on the second $10,000 to make sure Senate was not overspending. Senate gave the center $20,000 two years ago, according to Senate President Katrina Hurley.
The pool will be open for college students during open swim hours from 3-9 p.m. every day.
Hurley asked if there was a way to work out exclusive use for the college to have pool parties once a semester. Bannan said that would have to be discussed with the pool manager.
Hurley introduced a bylaw to be added to the Activity Fee Board that addresses members of AFB specifically targeting clubs. The bylaw will make AFB members abstain from discussion and voting on matters when they are a part of the club requesting money. The members will not be allowed to lobby or discuss matters outside the AFB meetings.
The bylaw also states, “Any AFB member who is also a member of a Greek organization shall abstain from deliberations and votes regarding any other Greek organization. A Greek organization shall be defined as any CAB recognized fraternity or sorority, not including honor societies.”
After discussion it was decided that “social” will be added before fraternity and sorority.
Senator of E.H.P.C.P.S.W. Carly Slaght said the cafeteria posted an unprofessional response to a comment card, again. In December 2016, Senate discussed an issue of Dining Services posting a comment card for everyone to see with an unprofessional response.
This time the issue was with a card posted at the entrance of the cafeteria that stated, “If you’re sitting in the wrong spot, move,” Slaght said. The student complaint card had to do with the televisions in the cafeteria only showing conservative news outlets instead of both sides, Slaght said.
Slaght said she found this comment to be unprofessional and she sent the concern to Pat Beu, senior director of student affairs.
Beu said that he did talk to Dining Services about the concern.
“I’ll be honest with ya, I’m not all the way sure they saw that as being especially offensive,” Beu said. “I tried to convey to them how it might be perceived by someone, and I got the impression that they don’t intentionally want to offend. But I’m not all too sure; their perception was if they want to move to another seat, they can certainly do that. My hope is that they know there is a sensitivity to address in the future.”
The senators approved continuing using the Guidebook App for the calendar of events. After discussion of changing to the Mobile Up App for three weeks at Senate meetings and the open forums, senators agreed that the Guidebook App has all the features Senate would like to see on the app.
When the app was first instituted, Senate paid for part of the app, but not the full cost, and it is expected that Senate would not have to pay the full price again, Adviser Deena Kennell said.
Vice President of Finance Lukas Klueber reported that Senate has $42,455.08 in unallocated funds and $491.92 in Senate’s office-campus account.
Michael Steube was approved as the solicitor general. The solicitor general will help navigate through court procedures. He will remain an at large senator.