At the Sept. 29 Macalester College Student Government (MCSG) meeting over Zoom, members of the legislative body (LB) voted on several student-led arts organizations’ funding requests and voted on preferred student committees to serve under.

Financial Affairs Committee (FAC) chair Hannah Gilbert ’21 introduced three student organizations filing for additional allocations of government funding.

First, Alice Asch ’22, co-chair of Mac Slams, requested funding for three poetry events this semester, each with a budget of $1,200. The $3,600 budget motion passed with 13 in favor and one abstaining. 

Next, Emily North ’22 presented the newly founded Art Alliance’s budget request of $748.18 — $517 from the event fund and $231.18 from the capital fund. The club plans to create art supply kits for delivery that they will sanitize and let rest for three to five days between uses. The motion passed unanimously. 

Finally, Mac Swing’s Elizabeth Landgren asked the LB for $780. They plan on holding weekly $50 dance lessons from their instructor as well as additional lessons with partners in pod groups. The motion passed with 12-x. 

During Open Floor, Austin Wu ‘21 raised a concern from students about the campus handling of Kai Davis’s death. He suggested the idea of MCSG responding.

“What the students brought forward was the idea that MCSG serves as a good point to unite the student body to speak as one,” Wu said.

Other members of the LB said that they are having conversations with different staff and administrators to discuss steps that they believe the college should take to better support students. 

Interim VP Shreya Nagdev ‘22 said she spoke to President Suzanne Rivera about the need for increasing access to counseling on campus, and specifically about hiring more BIPOC or LGBTQ+-identifying counseling staff.

Academic Affairs Committee (AAC) chair Kareem Greaney ‘21 said that he is in contact with members of the Educational Policy and Governance committee (EPAG) to make sure that they hear student opinions this semester.

After open floor, LB representatives were asked to rank their top committee choices to choose which committee to serve on. Committee Chairs shared updates with the LB about their committees and drew connections between organizations.

AAC chair Greaney talked about the textbook program. 

“We’re restructuring it a little bit to meet the safety standards for COVID and ensure equity and access,” Greaney said.

Gilbert spoke about allocations and financial processes that the FAC reviews throughout MCSG and the student body. “We also assign all members of the financial affairs committee to be liaisons for a certain number of org, so you get to build a closer relationship with certain org leaders and help them navigate the financial processes that we have.”

Student Organizations Committee (SOC) chair Briah Cooley ’21 mentioned the student organisation leadership transitions, liaisonship between student orgs, and chartering and auditing processes.

Nagdev, who is also the chair of the Student Services and Relations Committee (SSRC), gave an overview of the SSRC.  She also noted that the Open Pantry, which the SSRC previously managed, now has its own staff and is not under SSRC jurisdiction.

[email protected]