KATE SCHWARTZ
News Assistant
SGA began its general Wednesday meeting with the discussion of dorm lighting and Student Development Fund resolutions.
The first resolution, by Junior Sen. Andy Canales, proposed that new lighting be installed in the lower, upper and Greek Row dorms.
“I surveyed the freshman class two years ago, and almost everyone expressed dissatisfaction with the dim lighting in the dorms,” said Canales while presenting his resolution.
The housing department’s response was that the dorms were to be refurbished each summer, including improvements on lighting.
“This obviously hasn’t happened yet,” said Freshman Class President Blake Franks, “because I still get students coming up to me and presenting this problem.”
In his resolution, Canales said dorm refurbishment is still many years away, and the long-term solution of a future renovation does not provide a solution to students living in the rooms now.
“I think that the dorm lighting is insufficient in relation to how much school work we have at Pepperdine,” said Freshman Paul Martins, who also lives on campus. “Pepperdine is expensive, so we should have good lighting.”
The resolution was unanimously passed, resolving that Housing must finalize and present a solution to SGA by the end of the spring 2007 semester.
Canales also proposed the revision of the policy regarding lost Pepperdine ID cards. Students are now fined $15 to replace a lost or stolen card.
“I know that it doesn’t cost $15 to make another card,” Canales said. He suggested an incremental cost system, fining students $5 for the first occurrence and increasing the penalty each time.
SGA also discussed the possibility of supporting a student development fund, proposed by Inter- Club Council President John Deniston.
The student development fund would request $1000 from the SGA general fund.
“This would be a fund that would subsidize events supporting student academic and professional development by granting funds that would pay for on or off-campus student involvement,” Deniston said. “I believe this is a worthy investment to create student leaders on campus.”
Not all SGA members agreed, as a debate became necessary when opinions spilt.
Senior Chad Martin, arguing against the approval of the resolution, said the funds would not be well spent.
“These are student dollars that are potentially being used to send people to a conference in Hawaii or something,” Martin said. “I think there are better ways to spend the student’s money.”
A majority of the SGA members thought it was a cause that deserved support.
“Not everyone is rich at Pepperdine, but they do have dreams and goals,” Senior Senator Savannah Overton argued. “ I think we need to help support something that is bigger than ourselves.”
The student development fund would require students and organizations requesting money from SGA and other contributors to complete an extensive process before the funds were granted.
Only two requests would be approved a semester, after applications and interviews were completed.
The committee responsible for appropriating the funds would be equally composed of SGA members and Inter-Club Council representatives.
“We are trying to take incremental steps to create an institution at Pepperdine,” Deniston said. “Student development represents compelling interests to this body and to the advancement of the university’s mission.”
02-01-2007
