The Allegheny Student Government is gearing up for the end of the academic year and the transition of power.
ASG’s April 4 General Assembly was called to order at 7:30 p.m.
During her minutes, ASG President Veronica Green, ’23, noted that the last functioning GA of the semester would be April 18. She later said that the following April 25 GA would mostly be dedicated to the transition of power to Class of 2025 President and ASG President-elect Nicole Recio Bremer and her cabinet.
“That (April 18) is the last day that we will be able to vote on legislation and finance requests,” Green said. “So if there is a club looking to be confirmed for next year, they have to be approved by the 18th or else they’re just going to have to roll over to next year.”
Green made specific note of the Culture, Identity and Leadership Coalition amendments that have been making their way into ASG discussion almost every week since the first one was presented at ASG’s called meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
Director of Diversity and Inclusion Jaelyn Valentin, ’25, said during her minutes that she is currently working on revising the CILC constitution so that any amendment that makes reference to it can be as accurate as possible. Valentin’s amendment 22-07, which was initially floated to the Senate at the March 21 GA, seeks to give CILC organizations more agency in determining which clubs hold and maintain CILC status. Per Green’s statement, for an amendment to pass under this current administration, it would need a vote of approval at the April 11 GA, and pass its second round of voting on April 18. Valentin said that she plans for the CILC constitution revision to be completed by Sunday, April 9.
Recio Bremer raised a motion for discussion on complaints Aramark employees had brought to her during private conversations.
“I was talking to the staff in Brooks (Dining Hall) and they have a decrease in people working in both places (Brooks and McKinley’s Food Court),” Recio Bremer said. “I’ve been talking to different people within the staff and they’re all complaining about the management.”
Beyond management issues, Recio Bremer said complaints ranged from poor insurance to poor working conditions to unaddressed sexual harassment in the workplace.
“The people are getting overworked, and I know it’s not our fault because, essentially, we are not responsible for the contract with Aramark, but I was wondering, I don’t know if you guys can propose something or we could all propose something to essentially make a statement so other conditions could be better,” Recio Bremer said.
The Aramark staff members Recio Bremer cited were unavailable to comment or declined to comment.
During the ensuing eight-minute discussion, Green proposed that ASG compile their grievances into a resolution which could be voted on by senators and passed along to the Board of Trustees.
“They’re up for a contract renewal because Aramark is on a one-year probationary period,” Green said. “But if they renew the contract, I think they’re here for the next four years. So we should probably get on this quicker.”
With plans for the immediate future outlined, the assembly moved to “New Business,” in which Geology Club was up for its first round of voting. Geology Club representative Noelle Kidd, ’24, addressed the senate.
“I’m part of Geology Club and so are a few people, as we thought it was an active club,” Kidd said. “Turns out, a couple of years ago, nobody re-registered it, so that’s why we’re trying to get it back. We’ve been doing events under that name in collaboration with our honor society, SGE (Sigma Gamma Epsilon).”
Kidd explained that in its unofficial capacity this year, Geology Club hosted professionals for public outreach opportunities, partnered with the Meadville Public Library and is planning a cave exploration near the end of this month. Kidd said one of the organization’s goals is to expose students in related disciplines to geology so that they can bridge gaps between related fields.
The first week vote passed unanimously. Should the second round of voting pass next week, Geology Club will once more be an official organization.
Director of the Treasury Adriana Solis, ’23, announced a number of dates for financial proceedings as the semester comes to a close, alongside the ASG financial literacy course for all student organizations, hosted from Wednesday, April 5, to Saturday, April 8. Club budget applications will open April 10. April 14 will be the last day Solis will process graduation-related finance requests. April 24 will bring the close of budget applications. On April 25, the new cabinet will be appointed. April 28 is the last chance for all clubs to submit finance requests for the academic year. And finally, club budgets for the next academic year will be released on May 1.
The meeting closed at 8:06 p.m.