SGB divided over costly statues

Ever since the Student Government Board’s split-decision vote to buy 10 fiberglass panther… Ever since the Student Government Board’s split-decision vote to buy 10 fiberglass panther statues, the board has faced confusion and dissent within its ranks amid mixed feedback from the student body.

According to several sources, the cost of the project could range from $47,000 to as much as $70,000.

The project calls for 10 fiberglass panthers, measuring about 6-feet-6-inches tall and 6 feet wide, to be specially crafted for the student body. After 10 randomly selected student organizations paint and decorate the panthers, SGB hopes to put them on display around the Cathedral of Learning and William Pitt Union until next year, when the same panthers will be redecorated by 10 new organizations.

SGB member Bianca Gresco said she thinks the project represents a hasty attempt at self-promotion for some of her fellow board members.

“I think certain people wanted to leave a memento from our board before they graduated,” Gresco said. “It was rushed for certain people to boost themselves for the upcoming elections, as opposed to focusing on student issues, which is kind of what we’re here for.”

SGB president Shady Henien said he sees the project as a way to leave his legacy.

“Before I graduate, I want the University of Pittsburgh students to be so proud that they are Pitt students,” Henien said.

While Henien said that the project will cost the student body $47,850, another board member, who asked to remain anonymous, predicted that the initial cost could reach as high as $70,000 and entail an additional $10,000 yearly cost to cover paint and decoration materials.

Traditions committee chairwoman Amanda Satryan said the initial price “should cost around $60,000 to $65,000.”

Board members Sheila Isong, Alexis Chidi and Lacee Ecker voted against the project. Members Sumter Link, Jim Priestas and Janeace Slifka voted in favor of the statues. Henien then cast his tie-breaking vote, giving the program the green light. Gresco abstained from voting, citing a lack of feedback from student leaders.

“I don’t feel that it is a good use of the student activities fee,” Isong said. “As Student Government Board, we should be working to improve student lives and I just don’t believe that a $60,000 panther project will do that. “

Henien cited alumni enthusiasm as another reason to go ahead with the project.

“When I discussed this with alumni, they were like, ‘Wow this is a brilliant idea,’ so we did our research,” he said.

“It is unfortunate that the students were not given an opportunity to voice their opinion on this very expensive project,” Isong said. “The [SGB] vote occurred in the summer and was surrounded by vague assertions and uncertainty. Board Members were commenting and voting without having 100 percent of the facts regarding the project. To this day, I’m unsure as to whether or not we have 100 percent of the facts.”

Priestas said the project will pay off in the future.

“A lot of people are worried about the money issue, however, you’ve got to put a little in to get a little out,” Priestas said. “I think I made a very good decision on behalf of the students.”

Those in favor of the project cited other universities where similar programs are in place.

“Virginia Tech does this, they bought 75 Hokie birds, compared to our ten,” Priestas said. “Georgia does this too and they keep increasing the number of statues every year.”

Henien added that money could be made from the project if businesses agree to sponsor the statues.

“Local businesses are going to start checking it out and they’re going to love it,” he said. “[Boston University] does this too, and they sell their statues to sponsors for like $5,000 a pop.”

But Priestas was hesitant to support Henien’s moneymaking proposition. “If president Henien says that this is an opportunity to make money, that’s what he thinks,” Priestas said. “I do not see this as an opportunity to make money.”

“For any big project, you need a large initial investment,” Henien said. “This has been one of my goals since the beginning, to bring income into the student activities fund and dish it back out to student organizations.”

If student feedback to the statues is positive, Henien and Priestas said SGB will order more for next year.

Chidi, however, is not convinced that the project is money well spent by SGB. “Every week in our public meeting, we deny money for groups who depend on us to be able to function, so I don’t think it makes sense to spend so many thousands of dollars on a project that will only be viewable for about a month each year,” she said.

Despite the dissent among board members, the project is continuing as planned.

While the board hopes to make the statue decorating a homecoming tradition, they will not arrive for another seven weeks and the board plans to coordinate this year’s statue project with Pitt Light-Up Night.