The 2007 Student Government Board met for the final time last night, when it exchanged words… The 2007 Student Government Board met for the final time last night, when it exchanged words of reflection and capped off its term by passing one final resolution – naming the new recreation room in the William Pitt Union.

“Nordy’s Place,” as the room is now officially called, was titled in honor of Chancellor Mark Nordenberg, who the board resolved was a student favorite, worthy of the honor.

SGB President Shady Henien also announced the arrival of the 10 panther statues to campus.

“We also welcome the arrival of the much anticipated, spoken about, loved and hated by the same people, but undeniably a wonderfully new tradition that is already instilling Pitt pride in all those who saw the panther statues today,” Henien said.

After numerous delays of their creation and delivery – which was originally scheduled to be in time for this year’s homecoming – the statues reached campus from their Canadian manufacturer on Saturday, only to be turned away until Monday, because Pitt would not take the delivery on a weekend.

The six-foot-tall fiberglass statues cost SGB more than $60,000.

Now delivered too late for homecoming and with not enough time to be painted for Pitt’s Light Up Night, the statues received some last-minute decorations and were put on display around the William Pitt Union.

“They’re better than what I thought they would be,” Henien said.

“I saw a lot of people’s faces light up.”

The statues will now be distributed to different student organizations to be painted, and they will be re-unveiled on Jan. 10, coinciding with the inauguration of the 2008 board.

Beginning next year, the statues will be repainted annually and displayed during Homecoming.

While no tears – or blood – were shed, the board also exchanged words of reflection and offered advice to next year’s board.

“It’s a very thankless and criticized job,” board member Lacee Ecker said, “but man is it fun. Because at the end of the day, you’re doing the right thing – sometimes.”

During discussion about whether or not to approve $4,250 in membership dues to the United States Student Association, board member Sheila Isong – arguing in support of making the payment – provided some comments on SGB spending.

“We can sit up here as SGB members and say that we really do things like everybody else, but let’s be real. We just approved $60,000 panthers, we go to conferences wherever we want and spend however much we want on it. We fly, we have really nice hotels and do pretty much whatever we want.”

Despite SGB’s recent denial of money to a student group for membership dues, it approved paying dues to the USSA, which are based on a charge of 25 cents per student.

“I don’t like breaking the rules all that much,” Ecker said. “But I don’t think it’s black-and-white in every situation, and I don’t think its black-and-white in this situation.”

Prolonged debate continued between board members until president-elect Sumter Link called the question and impelled a vote, which resulted in a 5-3 decision to pay the dues.

The USSA “ensures the pipeline of effective student leadership by facilitating education, training and other development opportunities at national, state and local levels in advocating for issues that affect students,” according to its mission statement.