Though the weather may be getting colder, the semester is only heating up.
Twenty-six Allegheny Student Government cabinet members and senators trekked to the Henderson Campus Center for general assembly on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Though the meeting was short — clocking in at 19 minutes — the cabinet and class presidents burned through a wide array of topics, including Board of Trustees’ meetings, the return of “Late Night Kinz” and the first rumblings of a senior week schedule.
ASG President Veronica Green, ’23, continued a conversation from last week, announcing that she had presented her research on the cost of meal plans at Allegheny and similar local institutions to the Board of Trustees.
“I told them about the comparable options that we have to other institutions. I said that four out of the six that I presented have all-access food plans, and a big question that the Board of Trustees had was, ‘Why wasn’t this a part of negotiations with Aramark to begin with?’” Green said during the meeting.
Green said she hopes any further discussions regarding changes to meal plans occur before May.
“I do think that meal plans have to be put into a contract, and the contract is up for renewal in May.”
Green further explained that she also pitched a “swipe-dependent” meal plan while talking to the trustees, under which Munch Money would be used only in markets and Bento Sushi — which is a licensed contractor and not a traditional, Aramark-owned station. Green implied that the trustees liked the idea, but there was no firm decision made.
Quigley Auditorium has been reserved for the ASG presidential debate on March 14, according to Parliamentarian Ankitha Pamula, ’24. Pamula and Attorney General Abigail Estrada-Hernandez, ’25, both announced that they will continue tabling in the campus center lobby on Monday, Feb. 6, Wednesday, Feb. 8, and Friday, Feb. 10, to publicize the upcoming elections.
Director of the Treasury Adrianna Solis, ’23, announced that the check form has been redesigned at the behest of many club leaders.
“It’ll make things on the financial services side a lot easier, which means processing will be faster, and it will also keep clubs from complaining,” Solis said.
The assembly approved $2,125.19 from the general fund for use by Bike Share, Bird Club and ASG; $54.46 from the surplus fund for outstanding Outing Club expenses; and $1,156.30 for use by Black Girl Magic and the Association for Asian and Asian American Awareness, totalling $3,336.05 for the week.
Class of 2024 President Juliana James announced that Jahyra Williams, ’24, collected signatures to petition for the return of Late Night Kinz. This weekend tradition persisted through Parkhurst’s time at Allegheny, and brought specialty finger food to McKinley’s Food Court between about 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. over the weekend.
“She’s really trying to bring this back because it would just increase student engagement and give us something to look forward to on the weekend,” James said.
Director of Sustainability & Environmental Affairs Haley Hersh, ’23, said that she and other ASG volunteers will be tabling and handing out free reusable bags in the campus center from Wednesday, Feb. 15, to Friday, Feb. 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Also, Chief of Staff Ray Colabawalla, ’25, announced that GatorCon would be pushed back one week — from Sunday, April 2 to April 9. Colabawalla explained in an email that there was already a play scheduled to be held in the Vukovich Center for Communication Arts’ Gladys Mullenix Black Theatre on April 2.
Class of 2023 Vice President Jasmin Meyer Jaafari announced that the class of 2023 is in need of volunteers to help plan senior week.
“It’s going to be a lot of work and the administration is not helping us, so if anyone would love to donate some time and help me plan some things, that would be so amazing,” Jaafari said.
The meeting concluded at 7:49 p.m.