SGB could require student groups to advertise allocations funding source

Student Government Board introduced two new resolutions at its meeting last night to a small… Student Government Board introduced two new resolutions at its meeting last night to a small collection of students in Nordy’s Place.

Board member David Petrone announced a resolution pertaining to student groups receiving funding from the Board.

Student organizations that receive allocated money from SGB would have to print “Paid for by the Student Activities Fee allocated by the Student Government Board” on all public advertisements. This resolution is part of SGB’s larger goal to make the allocations process more visible to students.

Board President Charlie Shull said this will allow students to see how the Student Activities Fee is being spent.

Shull also introduced a resolution to support the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, a federal legislation introduced in 2009 that is currently in a House of Representatives committee.

If passed, the act would allow the University of Pittsburgh and any other nonprofit organization to donate funds to sororities and fraternities without losing either party’s nonprofit status. Previous legislation did not allow nonprofits to donate funds to sororities and fraternities, forcing the organizations to raise their own funds to fix housing safety issues.

The SGB resolution said students belonging to sororities and fraternities operating nonprofit housing contracts are currently unable to raise money to improve smoke detectors, alarm systems, sprinklers and other housing facility safety measures. The resolution would allow SGB to write to legislators on behalf of the “student population of Pitt” in support of passing the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, rather than just on behalf of Pitt’s fraternities and sororities.

This expands the base from which they can receive funding, Shull said.

Board member Phil LaRue, working with fellow board member David Gau, announced their project of creating a “constituent assembly” last night.

The constituent assembly would include 17 elected representatives from all parts of campus.

For instance, the group could include members from each Tower, Lothrop Hall, residences on the Hill, buildings in the Schenley Quadrangle, as well as off-campus students living in South and North Oakland and commuters.

The representatives would meet twice a month, act as a lower chamber to carry out official SGB business and be able to pursue their own projects, LaRue said.

LaRue said the project was driven by Board members’ desire to “see a Student Government Board representative of all students.”

Shull said the proposal was a “mega-progressive direction for Student Government.”

Shull said the documentation will be available online and he will “expect” and “push” for a lot of student debate.

LaRue also announced the formation of two new Green Fund task forces — one for the creation of the Green Fund and one for the creation of the Student Sustainable Projects Committee.

The groups’ responsibilities will include seeking further project submissions and interested applicants for the committee and reviewing documents already prepared — the draft manual and the draft charter, LaRue said.

SGB Notes

—Academic Affairs sent an e-mail to students with a survey about bringing The New York Times to Pitt through the College Readership Program.

Shull said, “If student support is there, we will pay for it.”

Students can look for an e-mail of the short survey or at SGB’s Facebook page for information.

—The traditions committee will hold a recreation of the “living panther photo” — students standing in the form of a panther.

The photograph will be taken Friday, April 23 from 11 a.m. to noon.

Students who want to participate can e-mail pantherphoto2010@gmail.com.

—SGB and GPSA will co-host Pancakes and Politics at Pamela’s on April 22 at 7:30 p.m. (Yes, that’s p.m.)

The event will include a full breakfast buffet featuring Pennsylvania’s Democratic candidates of the 19th legislative district.