SGB to begin referenda to change name

Starting next year, the Student Government Board will not exist as we currently know it.

The Board announced at its public meeting in Nordy’s Place on Tuesday night that it intends to change its name from the Student Government Board to the Student Government Association. The Board will make the change through a referendum that students will vote on from April 16 through April 17. 

Board President Graeme Meyer said “student government association” is the most common term other universities use to describe their student governing bodies.

“We’re not just a board. We’re an association of students,” Meyer said.

Meyer said he hopes the change will more accurately reflect the student government, which Meyer said includes the Board as well as the committees, task forces and the student assembly.

Meyer said the last Board, of which he was a member, came up with the idea to change the Board’s name. 

However, Meyer said the previous Board decided it would be better to change the name at the beginning of the 2015 fall semester. That way, the Board can “minimize confusion” during the transition, as the incoming freshmen will immediately know the Board by its new name, according to Meyer. 

Meyer said the transition will also include a logo change. The current SGB logo features a hammer and gavel, which Meyer said “isn’t the most welcoming” image.  The Board plans to open up submissions for new logo ideas through the SGB website or another site that the Board has yet to determine. 

In Other Action: 

Board member Jacky Chen said he learned, after meeting with University Library Services on March 3, that his campaign initiative to increase the number of plug outlets in Hillman Library might not be plausible because of the circuitry of the building. 

Instead, Chen and Board member David Evergreen, who also campaigned on an initiative to increase outlets in Hillman, intend to meet with Library Services again next week to discuss alternatives, such as battery packs that students could rent out from the library for their laptops. 

Allocations:

Pittsburgh Fencing Association requested $2,493.60 to attend its national championship in Bensalem, Pa. The Board approved $1,890.08 and denied $603.52, which differed from the allocations recommendation because the University will fund part of the group’s fuel costs. The Board members’ decision reflects that change.

Collegiate Distributive Education Clubs of America requested $1,526 to attend the 2015 International DECA Career Development Conference. The Board approved in full, in line with the allocations recommendation. 

The Caribbean and Latin American Student Association requested $1470.76 for its Annual Spring Carnival, against the allocations recommendation. Representatives from CLASA did not have the necessary documentation for the request when the allocations committee made its decision, but after CLASA brought the documentation, the Board approved in full.