Pitt Student Government Board breaks precedent

Pitt Women’s Volleyball Club B-Team received some bucks at the Student Government Board… Pitt Women’s Volleyball Club B-Team received some bucks at the Student Government Board meeting Tuesday night, breaking a Board precedent.

The Board voted against the Allocations Committee’s recommendation to deny the club team’s allocation request to send the 12-member B-Team to tournaments at Ohio State and Michigan along with the A-Team. After deliberation with the club, the Board approved the $1,358 request in full.

“I really appreciate everything they have done for us in the past, and this motion,” said Paige Lloyd, president of Pitt Women’s Volleyball Club.

The Allocations Committee initially recommended that the Board fund only the nine-member A-Team’s trip to attend the two tournaments, in line with the precedent set by the Board to fund only A-Teams’ events. The committee recommended to approve $704 and deny $654.

Lloyd said during the deliberation that her group provided the funding for their own jerseys at a total of $1,575. Currently, Pitt Women’s Volleyball Club does not receive funding through SGB for its jerseys.

“We put in the effort to ask for as little as possible,” she said.

Board member Alex Zimmerman moved to amend the motion to approve the request in full. Board members Matthew Riehle and Lauren Jentleson voted against the motion, but the motion still carried with six votes.

“This year’s Board has set a very serious precedent. At the same time, we want to enable organizations,” SGB President Molly Stieber said. She said that the organization fundraised for purchases that the Board would usually fund, like the jerseys, and so “that being said, it was worthwhile to break that precedent.”

Lloyd said that she was unaware of the precedent set by SGB to fund only A-Teams and said that she will no longer apply for funding for B-Teams.

Board member Riehle said that he wanted to maintain consistency when it came to his personal vote.

“I have voted against B-Teams in the past,” Riehle said. “[However], in the future, SGB can possibly cover the costs for jerseys.”

Also during the meeting, Board member Emily Hoover invited students to attend a Meet the Candidates event in Market Central on Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. The event will be an informational session for students to learn about the presidential and Board candidates running in the Nov. 17 SGB elections. Students can cast their vote from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on that date.

Allocations

Women’s Water Polo Club requested $640 to cover the costs of lodging for a tournament. The Board approved the request in full even though no club member was present at the meeting.

The Board approved in full Pitt Women’s Volleyball Club’s request for $1,358 for lodging, transportation and registration for two tournaments.

Strong Women Strong Girls requested $889.24 to pay for materials for programming and a portion of its members’ individual clearances. The Board approved $689.24 for the materials but denied $200 for the clearances.

Robotics and Automation Society requested $1,302.30 from the Board. The Board approved $1,242.30 to cover the costs of robotic supplies but denied $60 for the cost of pizza and soft drinks for group meetings.