SGB elections arrive today

Ever wonder where that $80 Student Activity Fee goes?

Students concerned about how their… Ever wonder where that $80 Student Activity Fee goes?

Students concerned about how their contributions to the $2.3-million Student Activities Fund will be allocated next year can cast a ballot in today’s Student Government Board election, which will determine who is in charge of distributing more than half of the funds to student groups.

All non-College of General Studies students can participate in the SGB election through the my.pitt.edu portal. The polls close at 8 p.m., and election results are expected shortly thereafter.

Despite confusion that arose last week over election revisions made earlier this year, students can cast votes for five board members and one president.

This year, 14 students from a variety of majors, programs and graduating classes are running for board positions on six slates: Family, Roc Your Gov, Students Strong, Unity, Truth and Virtue.

Molly Stieber, Benjamin Vaccaro and Matt Weiss are running for president. All three are juniors.

Candidates for president are running on their three respective slates: Truth, Student Strong and Unity.

Only one current board member, junior John Hasley, is running for reelection to a member position. Hasley joined the Board as an interim member earlier this semester.

SGB is responsible for allocating the Student Activities Fund to eligible certified undergraduate student organizations according to policies and procedures approved by the Office of Student Life.

Board members and the president also develop and implement side projects as part of their duties, though current members and President Charlie Shull have emphasized that the allocations process represents “90 percent of what SGB does.”

Currently the revised Elections Code — which SGB revised in September to allow students to vote for up to eight board members — is in conflict with the Board’s constitution, which dictates that such a change must be approved by a student vote before it can take effect.

The Board addressed the conflict at their meeting Tuesday evening in Nordy’s Place.

“While changes have been made in the Elections Code, we ultimately must abide by the Constitution until it is changed,” said Lena Wickenden, Elections Committee chairwoman.

Students can access the ballot by clicking on the green “Take Action” sidebar available through the Pitt portal.

Information about each candidate for Board and President — as well as the different slates — is also available through the sidebar.