UPUA Wraps Things Up In Final Meeting Of The 2015-16 School Year
UPUA held its final meeting of the 2015-16 school year last night without any fireworks or sweeping revelations. The assembly passed some resolutions, swore in some new members, and generally prepared itself to transition into summer.
Getting into new business, the assembly had to confirm a few roles, primarily justices now that Eric Love is officially the Chief Justice. Alexa Ain, Mary Kate Blazofsky, Nick Capri, Sangeetha, Kannan, and Nick Pazuchanics were all confirmed unanimously as justices. Chintin Shaw, who served in Freshman Council for a little before parting ways with UPUA, was unanimously confirmed as the new Director of Finance (aka Treasurer). All six were then subsequently sworn in.
One of the most important things for the assembly to accomplish in the meeting was suspending the budgetary policy so the executive board is able to spend money and fund things over the summer without the approval of the general assembly. Woah buddy, slow down — before you get up in arms that Terry and Katie are going to be going on shopping sprees, UPUA does this every year so it can still be productive without having to call in a meeting to let the assembly vote.
“We do this not because we want to hide money away, but because there’s a lot of events and we don’t want to bring the assembly together to vote on spending,” outgoing Director of Finance (again, aka Treasurer) Mike Mancini said.
The executives will have access to the left over funds from the 10th Assembly, totaling around $45,000 according to Mancini. “Students go home over the summer, but we still operate as a student government,” Facilities Chair Brent Rice said. The suspension was approved unanimously.
The assembly then tackled five pieces of legislation, the most notable of which dealt with free exam study books from the Princeton Review and postponing the Borough Council meeting. The former of the two drew minimal discussion, but will increase the resources for students hoping to go onto post-grad education. UPUA will sponsor more books than it did in the fall, and after reviewing the numbers from last year (which may have been incorrect) and spewing amendments on the fly, Academic Affairs Chair Samantha Geisinger said to Mancini, “are you checking my math?”
Mancini: “No.”
Geisinger: “Okay.” *continues going through amendments*
(This isn’t a bad thing it’s just kind of funny. I’m sure everything was properly squared away.)
The bill passed unanimously, and now more students will have the opportunity for and “a fair chance” at free study books.
Resolution 03-11, Support of the Borough Council Postponing the Decision on 2016 Amendments to the Property Maintenance Code, as the title suggests, wants to move the Council’s meeting to the fall in order to give more students the opportunity to attend. There’s a few things the borough wants to vote on at the meeting, including disallowing students from gathering in fences — i.e. daylongs — among other things, and with this resolution UPUA is advocating to move the meeting to a time when more students will be in State College and therefore be able to attend the meeting and speak up against these borough initiatives. The legislation passed unanimously, but because this is just a “support of” resolution, there’s no promises. Multiple representatives stood in support of the resolution, including At-Large Rep Issac Will who said “It goes against Penn State culture [for the Borough to pass some of these things].”
“It’s kind of ridiculous that the Borough sprung this on students during one of the busiest times of the year for students,” Panhellenic Rep Samantha Bentrim said. The legislation passed unanimously.
UPUA also supported the Alumni Association’s pledge to contribute to the Class of 2016’s class endowment to CAPS which, though it doesn’t really do anything, the resolution adds recognition to the effort. Members of the assembly encouraged others to ask their constituents to support the gift and those who rely on CAPS.
The meeting, which was straightforward for the most part, ended on a high note as VP Jordan prepared everyone in a way only middle school can.
“As we would sign in our yearbooks when we were young — H.A.G.S.” Jordan said to close the meeting, which adjourned at 9:57 p.m.
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