Saint Louis University’s Student Government Association (SGA) approved nearly $2,800 in wellness funds and gave more than $3,000 in spot funding during a senate meeting Oct. 16. They passed five bills and rejected one, and also seated a new senator and chartered a student organization.
Senators gave $2,500 in wellness money to OASIS, a club that promotes Caribbean, Latin American and Hispanic culture and awareness. OASIS plans to use this funding to organize a dance formal for Latino Heritage Month called Salio El Sol.
This event will include different styles of cultural music and dancing, food and decoration. It is being held Saturday, Oct. 19 and is open to all SLU students. This bill passed 35-0-0.
Brittany Najera, the vice president of OASIS, told senators she believes this event is important because it promotes wellness and serves as a safe space for students, especially after midterms.
“This event is not just a social gathering event but an amazing opportunity to explore and celebrate some of the diverse cultures within Latin America,” Najera said.
Senators then provided the National Lawyers Guild with $375 in wellness funding to screen a movie on the law school campus. “Israelism,” which will be shown Oct. 23, is a film about “two young American Jews raised to unconditionally love Israel witness the brutal way Israel treats Palestinians.” The bill passed with a vote of 32-0-2.
Bret Sharp, the senator for SLU Law, urged the body to pass this bill, saying the movie screening will be beneficial for the wellness of law students.
“The School of Law has been having some very heavy conversations specifically with regard to Israel and Palestine,” Sharp said. “This is directly trying to make it so all the people at the law school feel that connection and happiness at SLU. I personally fully support the showing of this movie.”
The final wellness funding bill, which would have provided the Muslim Student Associate (MSA) with $673 in wellness funding, did not pass. The MSA requested this funding for a mentor and mentee picnic event. MSA planned to use this money to provide halal food at their picnic as well as fall desserts. Senate Bill 008 24 failed to pass with a vote of 1-26-28.
The senate then moved to approve spot funding, giving SLU men’s club soccer $3,139.88 to attend their regional competition.
This tournament is invitational, and SLU men’s club soccer worked to earn an invite, team members said. The competition is taking place Oct. 25-27 in Wichita, Kansas. The club intends to use the funding for lodging and transportation. With a vote of 34-0-0, Senate Bill 009 24 was passed.
StudentsCare, an organization that works with pediatric and elderly patients, also officially became a chartered student organization. StudentsCare received developing student organization status from the senate last April. The group of students work with the Ronald McDonald House Charities and visit local senior homes once a week. The bill passed 34-0-0.
During the meeting, senators seated ll Zain Bari as senator of the Commuter Association by passing Senate Bill 004-24. The bill is a formality to make Bari an official senator as the Commuter Association holds their elections at a different time than the rest of the senate. This bill passed 35-0-0.
