The Student Government Association (SGA) discussed the upcoming town halls, a resolution for Pepperdine’s administration to address sustainability practices and the Student Programming Board‘s (The Board) budget concerns at their weekly meeting March 12.
SGA President Myers Mentzer addressed the class presidents’ upcoming town halls and asked for the presidents to publicize them as much as possible. SGA members say they intend to publicize and advertise its involvement in funding the installation of the new water fountain at the HAWC.
“The town halls are also coming up really soon, so if you wanna publicize it, we can advance and really push the word out, especially with our transitioning for next year,” Mentzer said.
Mentzer advised each president on their town halls and asked them for information on what they are doing for their respective classes.
All of the class presidents are working to educate students on what SGA has been doing and more specifically, working towards making long-term, lasting change to satisfy the current student body. They are utilizing different methods such as presentations and games to keep students engaged.
Climate Action Plan
Sophomore Sen. Zayd Salahieh and Senior Class President Walden Hicks proposed a resolution regarding climate change, requesting Pepperdine’s administration to release a public statement acknowledging human-caused climate change. They have also requested for the administration to craft an action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and incentivize environmentally-friendly planning.
“It’s important to pass this,” First-year Sen. Eden Shimanek said. “It’s to show that if students really do care about this, then we can be the ones advocating for it because if administrators are pushing for this and we and if we use that as our reasoning to not push it, then it’s just never gonna be done.”
The resolution passed with a majority vote.
Student Programming Board Request
SGA then addressed one general funding request from the Board. The general funding requests allow a certain initiative to receive funding from SGA and serve as an in-between for the administration and the student body.
The funding request was for the Student Programming Board to receive $7,285.50 from SGA into their general fund for the upcoming Pacific Sounds Music and Arts Festival on March 23 at Alumni Park.
Brantley Holladay, a member of the Board, stated that the $7,285.50 is 16% of the overall cost for the Pacific Sounds Music and Arts Festival as they already have $45,000 in their budget.
Vice President of Finance Julian Mola raised concerns over budget transparency regarding the general funding request while Director Stephen Weinstock approved the request.
“I do think we need to hold people who ask us for money to a slightly higher standard than what was put into the resolution,” Mola said. “We need a better budget breakdown exactly from the Board. Having the exact estimates and invoices and things like that are necessary especially because we’re not finding the thing we typically do, which is the Ferris wheel.”
Pacific Sounds Music and Arts Festival is one of the Board’s traditional events during the year. For the past two years the event had a ferris wheel, but this year there will not be one.
“I support the resolution,” Weinstock said. “You know, I think we do have the money regardless of how they worded it. And I think it’s important to show the students we are giving them the return for the money that they’ve paid for this year. So I would encourage everyone or all the voting members to vote for it.”
SGA voted in a majority to pass the funding request from the Board, granting them $7,285.50 to fund the Pacific Sounds Music and Arts Festival.
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Contact Christy Thien via email: christy.thien@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram: @christy.e.t
