Saint Louis University’s Student Government Association is in the midst of their 53rd general assembly. They have had seven sessions and passed a total of 24 senate bills and one special resolution.
While most of these bills are related to funding for student organizations, others established a new strategic student task force, chartered a new student organization and filled several positions.
New organizations
SB 014-25 gave SLU’s Aerodynamics Design Team the status of chartered student organization. ADT provides hands-on experience in aircraft design and technical writing. They design and build remote-controlled aircraft using raw materials, which are entered into a design, build and fly competitions.
Strategic plan student task force
SB 023-25 creates four student-led task forces to complement SLU’s strategic planning steering committee. These task forces are intended to ensure student perspectives are included and the final plan reflects the needs of the entire student body.
The groups will include enrollment, student success, athletics and research and scholarship.
Wellness funding
Wellness funding is distributed to individuals or organizations to hold events designed to enhance student wellness through the exploration of new ideas, promotion of healthy habits, encouragement of social interaction and overall embracement of the Jesuit mission.
SB 015-25 provided $4,432 of wellness funding to SLU’s Billikens Against Cancer to host their annual tabling campaign, designed to educate students about the negative impacts of smoking and vaping. Using this funding, they hosted a “Candy Land” themed table in the Busch Student Center on Nov. 19. The event included trivia questions and free gift bags that contained tools that could be used as a healthy distraction from vaping, like fidget toys and QuitPix.
SB 020-25 provided $3,300 of wellness funding to SLU’s Chinese Language and Culture Club (CLCC) to host a study cafe to help students prepare for finals. The study cafe will be hosted in the Center for Global Citizenship on Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 4 to7 p.m. There will be tutors to help students with various subjects. CLCC is collaborating with 10 additional identity based student organizations to host the cafe.
SB 021-25 provided $4,479 of wellness funding to SLU’s St. Benedict Joseph Labre Ministry with the Homeless to prepare care packages to be distributed to unhoused members of the St. Louis community. The care packages will include items like coats and tents and will be distributed either in December or January.
Spot funding
Spot funding supports student organizations to participate in organization-specific competitions, conferences or other ventures that align with their overall mission. Once organizations have the total costs of their selected event, they may apply for spot funding. If their application is approved, SGA covers half of the total cost and the organization raises funds to cover the rest. The Senate has provided nine clubs with spot funding this semester.
SB 004-25 provided $212.50 of spot funding to Six Eight A Capella so they can compete in the semi-finals of the International Championship of Collegiate A Capella. Six Eight submitted a video audition and will hear back by Dec. 15. If selected, they will compete at Washington University on Jan. 26.
SB 007-25 provided $925 of spot funding to SLU Running Club to compete in the St. Louis Track Club Forrest Park half marathon and five kilometer races. A total of 15 SLU runners represented the Running Club on Nov. 9.
SB 008-25 provided $1,450 of spot funding to SLU Parks Racing so they can compete at an event hosted by the Formula Society of Automated Engineers. Parks Racing will continue working through the spring semester to prepare for their competition in June. They are building a small race car that will be presented and scored based on safety and technical tests, which evaluate various elements of the car, like acceleration and turning abilities, and presentations of business, cost and design. Though the group has attended competitions as guests previously, they will compete for the first time in 2026.
SB 009-25 provided $1,642.26 of spot funding to Wilderness Adventure Club, which allowed 19 students to go on a trip to New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia over fall break.
Funding supported transportation, camping fees and firewood. SB 024-25 provided $3,209.16 of spot funding to WAC to travel to Guadalupe Mountains National Park and White Sands National Park during their winter break trip.
SB 011-25 provided $4,500 of spot funding to SLU’s Filipino Student Association to attend a Filipinx Americans Coming Together conference at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from Nov. 14-16. During the conference, students attended workshops and performed in a variety show.
SB 012-25 provided $250 of spot funding to SLU’s Men’s Club Soccer to participate in the Kansas-Missouri Soccer League Regional tournament. On Oct. 27, the team won the tournament with a record of seven wins and no losses. With their win, the SLU Men’s Club Soccer team advances to the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association. SB 018-25 provided an additional $3,210.80 so the team can participate in NIRSA from Nov. 20-22.
SB 013-25 provided $851.30 of spot funding to SLU’s Club Tennis to compete in a tournament at the University of Wisconsin.
SB 017-25 provided $4,575 of spot funding to SLU’s Students for Life (SFL) to support 15 students from the group in traveling to Washington, D.C., to participate in the National Pro-Life Summit and March for Life in January 2026. During the summit, students will participate in discussions to learn more about the activities of SFL chapters at other universities and will attend workshops designed to prepare them to share their mission on campus. Members from SLU’s SFL prepare and travel with a banner that they will carry during the march.
SB 019-25 provided $1,510 of spot funding to SLU’s Student Activities Board (SAB), so they can attend the National Association for Campus Activities.
Seatings
SGA had several open or vacant positions that had to be filled outside of the normal election and appointment cycle, including senators, the Speaker of the Senate and an election commissioner.
The newly seated senators include Lily Callon, representing the School of Education; Grace Vasher, representing the College of Public Health and Social Justice; Vinu Jayapradhaban Kala, representing the Residence Hall Association and Samanvitha Gaddhi, representing the Doisy College of Health Sciences.
Mason Bader was seated as the new Speaker of the Senate. Bader controls the agenda of each Senate session and keeps order. Additionally, Lily Bowman was seated as the election commissioner for the elections that will be held in the spring of 2026. Bowman will regulate candidates, ballots and other parts of the election process.
