Allegheny Student Government announced the incorporation of a temporary blanket fund for clubs and the return of the green box program in Spring 2021.

With no guest speaker, ASG’s general assembly began promptly with cabinet reports at 7:35 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, via Zoom. 

Due to the nationwide presidential election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Chief of Staff, Emma Godel, ’21, began her report by discussing efforts that ASG can make to encourage students to vote. 

“Given that all of us were either elected by students or confirmed by people who are appointed or elected by students, we should be serving as role models here by encouraging people to get out and vote,” Godel said.

Godel announced that she planned to post a compilation of videos including ASG members talking about the importance of voting by Monday, Nov. 2. 

After Godel, Attorney General, Trevor Mahan, ’21, announced that his primary focus for this semester will be making constitutional revisions and getting them approved.

Following Mahan, Director of Finance Noah Tart, ’22, reported that he plans to open a Stratum Fiscus, or a blanket fund, for clubs to use until budget hearings begin in the first week of November. 

“If (the clubs) need to do something or they want to do something then they have the access,” Tart said. “For example, Knitting Club has shown some dissatisfaction with the inability to get money and I think that’s a very fair and just thing.”

To end Tart’s report, the senate decided that clubs would be allotted $175 until the budget hearing dates. 

Director of Organizational Development Bennett Westfall, ’23, announced that he is collaborating with Director of Communication and Press Bree Gray, ’23 to make posters to put in the Henderson Campus Center that include information about voting times and locations. 

After Westfall, Co-Director of Student Affairs Genesis Pena, ’22, announced that she and her committee will begin filling up product dispensaries in the Campus Center. 

Director of Communication and Press, Bree Gray, ’22, announced that classes can create an Instagram account for their class for information and other announcements. College Relations and ASG are also collaborating to create GIFs for Instagram. 

Gray finished her report by announcing that Public Safety now has an official Instagram account and will be holding office hours on Fridays from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Following Gray, Director of Sustainability and Environmental Affairs William Walker, ’22, reported that he plans to have a green box program in place for Module B of Spring 2021. 

“We are going to spend basically every spare second trying to figure out ways to mitigate it, so our endgame is to retire the token system and convert fully to the GET mobile app,” Walker said. “So if you’re someone that likes to stock up on tokens and get like 50 green boxes, well, I’m sorry.”

Continuing his report, Walker also announced that recycling bins will be put around the campus grounds outside.

“You (won’t) have to walk to a building and walk all over campus to throw away a water bottle and you also (wouldn’t) have to throw it in the trash,” Walker explained. 

Walker also stated in his report that Sustainability Coordinator Kelly Boulton suggested ASG help promote the idea of having a sustainability seminar during Orientation or Welcome Weekend.

Lucas Biniewski, ’23, raised a concern about how the cleaning of green boxes would be done to make sure COVID-19 was not spread. 

Walker explained that the cleaning processes in place were enough to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

“The school would not even consider (reintroducing green boxes) if there was (a possibility of spreading COVID-19),” Walker said. 

After some more discussion, ASG moved into class reports. The classes of 2021 and 2022 announced that they appointed more senators to be sworn in.

Following that, Vice President Patricia Gaxiola, ’21, reported that she hopes to integrate healing circles, which are akin to diversity training, across all departments at Allegheny. Healing circles are already implemented in the athletic department and an organization in Meadville with positive responses, Gaxiola said.

After Gaxiola, President Abdikadir Lugundi, ’21, announced that two break days have been added to the Spring 2021 academic calendar: Wednesday, March 10 and Tuesday, April 3. Lugundi reported that Registrar Ian Binnington may come as a guest speaker to further discuss the academic calendar. 

Lugundi continued his report by announcing that he and Gaxiola plan to meet with President Hilary Link on Friday, Oct. 30 to discuss student and administrative relations. 

Following Lugundi, ASG moved into unfinished business. 

To continue a previously unfinished discussion about fire pits on campus, Walker explained that basic fire safety is important to take into consideration when deciding where to put the fire pits and how they should be monitored. 

“My advice as someone who has seen this happen in the area is to make sure that there’s someone around that’s kind of monitoring (the fire),” Walker said. “You do not want to put those close to buildings at all and I’d recommend to also make sure there’s no leaf litter either.” 

Tart proposed to include the Volunteer Firefighter Club to help watch the fires in exchange for compensation. 

“Including (volunteer firefighters) would be a great asset to the social community of Allegheny College,” Tart said. “I think not only that, it’ll push groups together. I know one firefighter on our campus, but I would love to get to know some more (in case my house ever burned down).”

After some more discussion about the inclusion of fire pits on campus and crosswalk safety, ASG decided to cancel the GA meeting for Tuesday, Nov. 3 due to election day conflicts. 

The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 p.m.