SGB talks task force initiatives, student leader stipends

Student Government Board plans to raise student leader stipends funded by “unused” funds from the student activities fee, according to SGB President Danielle Floyd. The Task Force on Student Leader Remunerations, a proposed new task force, will oversee the stipend changes.

“The whole point of this task force is to review, discuss and make recommendations related to the proposed changes to increasing student leader stipends on campus,” Floyd said. “The task force is going to have a wide variety of student leaders represented, so WPTS radio, Pitt Program Council, SGB members, Black Action Society, RSA and a few other organizations.”

SGB held its weekly meeting in Nordy’s Place Tuesday night to discuss initiatives, an allocation request and a proposed elections committee bill.

Floyd also said the Refreshing the William Pitt Union Task Force is working on initial steps to update the sixth floor to meet student organization needs, as these organizations have reported issues with limited space in the past.

“We’ve met with almost all the organizations on the sixth floor, and are asking them to submit diagrams by the 28th of what changes they would like to see as a civic leader in their rooms and the sixth floor,” Floyd said. 

Board member and vice president of governance Derek Dressler said the new Renters First Task Force defined short term initiatives for the task force, such as creating a website with information regarding off-campus living in Oakland, an online form for off-campus living questions and planning community block party events in partnership with Pitt’s Office of Engagement and Community Affairs.

Board member Corbin Makar said the dining ad hoc committee met with Pitt Eats last week to discuss future renovations to the Eatery, adding more vegan and vegetarian options on campus, labeling ingredients and reorganizing meal plans and fixing issues with Transact Mobile Ordering wait times.

“What they’re finding out is that the tablets in person are not cooperating with the app,” Makar said. “They’re working with Transact at the moment to possibly rebuild that or figure out a better way for this to work together to help benefit us all, because they did address it and they were not happy that they waited an hour one day for a bagel.”

The board introduced bill EB-2022-1 Amendment to Title 5, amending part of SGB’s elections code. SGB will post the bill on its website before a vote on the legislation at the next public board meeting.

Allocations

Omicron Delta Kappa, an undergraduate student honor society focused on leadership, requested $1,195 to fund a portion of inductees’ national dues, as well as the chapter’s national dues. The board approved the request in full, with board member and vice president of initiatives Bhuvitha Chagantipati abstaining from the vote.