2011 Board votes to change bylaw at final meeting

Incoming Student Government Board president and current Board member James Landreneau offered up… Incoming Student Government Board president and current Board member James Landreneau offered up his words of wisdom Tuesday night:

“If you spend your life trying to make others more successful, you will also find success in your life,” he said.

Landreneau’s reflective tone matched the general sentiment at the last public meeting of the 2011 Board in Nordy’s Place. The meeting was filled with “thank you”s to the outgoing Board and “good luck”s to the incoming Board as each Board member and committee chair gave advice to new members.

Amidst goodbyes, the Board did vote unanimously to approve one final motion: changing the bylaws to formally recognize the Student Sustainability Projects Committee and rename it the Green Fund Advisory Board.

“I’m really happy with the name,” SGB President Molly Stieber said. “It’s much truer to the organization and easier for everyone else.”

Board member Ryan Gayman, who introduced the proposal, said the new Green Fund Advisory Board was set up to “make our campus a better place for students through sustainability.” And adding the group to the bylaws will ensure that this committee is something that will continue from year to year.

The Green Fund Advisory Board’s responsibilities will include allocating a “Green Fund” in the amount of $2,500, which will come out of the Environmental Committee’s portion of SGB’s fiscal budget.

The group doesn’t come up with the projects on its own, but collects student input and chooses out of the incoming pool of ideas which ones to pursue.

This semester, the group has completed a number of projects, including the installation of two hydration stations in the Hillman Library and one in the William Pitt Union as well as aerators in the three Litchfield Towers’ dorms — a project which has saved the University $14,000 in one month.

Stieber concluded the meeting by listing some of the accomplishments of the 2011 Board, including the creation of the OCC Advisory Board and the OCC Honorary Society, which held its first induction on Friday. She said that Board member James Landreneau “relaunched a program that wasn’t doing so hot,” and made it successful, referring to the Outside the Classroom Curriculum.

Stieber also commended Board members for completing initiatives like the new electronic swipe-in system in dorms, the creation of the graduate exam resource center in the Hillman library and the installation of the Food Committee.

She ended with some words of wisdom for the new Board: “Follow James. Trust him — I have,” she said, referring to the incoming SGB president.

“Thankfully, I can say I’m leaving this Board in very capable hands,” Stieber said.

Allocations:

Women’s Club Gymnastics requested $4,387.40 for transportation and facility rental fees for winter practices and new competition leotards for the next four years. The Board approved the request in full.

Panther Amateur Radio Club requested $1,500 to cover the cost of reinstalling an antenna on top of Benedum Hall, which is necessary for club function and came down during the renovations of the building. The Board approved the request in full.

Musical Theatre Club requested $1,160 to cover the cost of licensing fees for its annual spring performance in February. The Board approved the request in full.

Women’s Fast Pitch Softball requested $1,162.50 to cover the cost of facility fees for winter practices to prepare for nonconference games. The Board approved the request in full.

Lady Panther Lacrosse requested $2,310 for the cost of referee fees for each of the team’s home games in the spring. The Board approved the request in full.