The Student Government Association passed its Spring 2025 budget in its Jan. 22 meeting. As part of that budget, SGA passed a $10,000 budget for a parking party at the end of February. The parking party will celebrate The Mountain parking structure, which opened Jan. 20.
Vice President of Finance Julian Mola originally presented the budget to the Senate during SGA’s first meeting on Jan. 15, via Zoom where it was tabled to allow for further discussion. The proposed budget for the parking party was set at $10,000.
The parking party cell was pulling from the remaining budget rather than the proposed budget, creating a surplus of $1,348.42, President Myers Mentzer wrote in a Jan. 26 email to the Graphic.
To allocate this overage, the executive board made the decision to reduce the budget for their own wages so as to not impact the finances available to the senate for the parking party, Mentzer wrote.
Mentzer began the meeting by saying she is happy to be back in person with all of SGA — grateful for their hard work through the unexpected Franklin and Palisades fires.
“Thank you to everyone for your commitment to leadership during times of unknown and struggle,” Mentzer said. “I really greatly appreciate that.”
Initially, Mola proposed SGA vote on a $10,000 budget for the parking party, but due to spending for the parking party over the winter break there was a $1,348.42 overage. For the sake of transparency, that difference will be pulled out of the E-board’s wages, Mola said.
The original budget for the party had approximately $8,000 in acting as the remainder of the budget rather than reflecting the actual total of the budget, SGA Adviser Danielle Minke said.
To make up the difference between what had already been spent and the $10,000 SGA would like to set their budget at, the difference will be taken from the Executive Board’s wages rather than the general fund account.
President Jim Gash is set to match their budget, allowing them an additional $10,000, Mentzer said. The event will feature catered food, Pepperdine Mountain-themed events, lighting, decor and a personalized trucker hat bar.
“The event is open to the entire student body, it should be accessible to all students,” Mentzer said.
The event will also feature a partnership with Tesla whose services will be fully funded by the company, Mentzer said.
“Tesla will be there but they are covering all of their costs and they are not charging us,” Mentzer said.
Other budget items discussed included, the Executive Board Wage increased to $30,000 this semester compared to $20,000 in the Fall 2024 semester. The larger budget allotment can be attributed to the Executive Board’s ineligibility for federal work-study this spring and the additional hours they logged at a recent conference they attended, Mentzer said.
“They are going to be really busy this spring so this is an anticipated budget,” Minke said.
In addition to setting the budget for the spring semester, SGA proposed an amendment to its constitution concerning the date of major and regular student government elections, amending their ability to “adjust dates” rather than “delay them,” Mentzer said.
In a Jan. 22 email, SGA sent the proposal to the Seaver student body announcing a special election on the amendment on Jan. 29 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
SGA dedicated the end of the meeting to nominations and appointments for available positions of junior class senator and sophomore vice president–– results have not been announced.
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Email Ava Heinert: ava.heinert@pepperdine.edu
