Board funds for Pitt Dance Marathon

In line with previous years, Student Government Board approved funding requests by Pitt Greek… In line with previous years, Student Government Board approved funding requests by Pitt Greek Life for the 2013 Pitt Dance Marathon.

But the measure faced some opposition, and the Board president said one Board member shouldn’t have voted at all.

At Tuesday night’s Student Government Board meeting, the Board voted to approve the Interfraternity Council’s previously deferred request of $29,630.56 for PDM. In a 6-2 vote, Board members Halim Genus and Zoe Samudzi voted against funding the event.

After the meeting, Board President James Landreneau said that while a number of Board members are involved in Greek Life, only Board member Megan McGrath “absolutely should have abstained” from the vote due to her role in Greek Week.

McGrath, vice president of logistics for the Greek Week Executive Board, said that she wasn’t directly involved with the planning board for PDM.

“Just being a member of Greek community is not a good reason to abstain,” McGrath said. “I felt comfortable voting … I don’t think all Greeks should abstain from [voting on] all Greek events.”

While PDM involves non-Greek organizations, it is a part of Greek Week, according to the Student Affairs Web page for Greek Week.

Board member Natalie Rothenberger moved to approve the line item in full, and a lengthy discussion followed the movement.

Board member Halim Genus said he didn’t think the Student Activities Fund should go toward an event that was designed to raise funds. But after giving his short testimony, he shot the discussion back to the IFC representative.

“I’m looking to be swayed,” Genus said.

Lauren Jentleson, a representative for Pitt Greek Week, vice president of Greek Sing and former SGB member, said that FeelGood, the student group that sells grilled cheese sandwiches in Nordy’s Place on Thursdays, also receives funds from SGB for its fundraising activities. She said that there is not enough money in the IFC budget to pay for the event without help from SGB.

She said IFC is working to involve more non-Greek organizations and that the event is the largest fundraising event on Pitt’s campus. But the event is still in the planning stages.

“There are a lot of kinks that need to be worked out,” Jentleson said.

Another matter that was resolved at the meeting was a budget request from the Black Action Society.

The Board did not vote on BAS’s annual budget last week because it did not know how to handle a request for computers and software.

After Landreneau talked with Terry Milani, the associate director of Student Life, Landreneau said that requests for computers by Student Affairs-affiliated groups are funded through Student Affairs and not through SGB.

The Board denied the $5,963 request for computers and deferred the $546 request for accompanying software.

See Something, Say Something

In light of the string of bomb threats received at Pitt, SGB announced a new campaign in hopes of expediting the arrest of any individuals involved in the threats.

Richard White, the Transportation Safety Committee chair, revealed “See Something, Say Something,” at the second Pitt town hall meeting held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Nordy’s.

White urged Pitt students to inform the Pitt police if they witness anything suspicious, like someone writing on a wall.

President James Landreneau, who ran on the town hall initiative during his campaign, said that students should treat each bomb threat “as if it was the first.”

“I know that everyone is frustrated. I just want to stress how important it is to take each of these threats seriously,” he said to the crowd of about 30 people. “I know that soon, justice will be served.”

Allocations:

Scientists, Mathematicians and Engineers for Service requested $277.51 for reusable supplies to allow the organization to volunteer with children. The Allocations Committee approved the request in full.

Best Buddies requested $300 for organizational duties. The Allocations Committee approved the request in full.

The Board approved $1,180 for Model United Nation’s competition registration fee.

Theta Tau requested $1,775 to send three people to a conference. The Board approved $1,691.22 and denied $83.78 because of estimation issues.

Students for Nuclear Energy requested $897.20 to send one person to a conference to present a research project. The Board denied the request in full because it is a personal expense, and there is little to be brought back to the student body from the event because the person will graduate at the end of this semester.

The Allocations Committee approved Pitt Ballet Club’s request of $319.80 for costumes in full.

Pittsburgh Club Baseball requested $400 for competition-related costs. The Allocations Committee approved the request in full.

Some of God’s Children Gospel Choir requested $300 for an honorarium. The Allocations Committee approved the request in full.