The Student Government Association Senate hosts an open forum discussion in TAC 260 on March 25 as a part of its weekly meeting. Nature’s Edge is now selling Goldfish Crackers, Senior Class President Julian Moghaddasi said. Photo by Oliver Evans
The Pepperdine Student Government Association (SGA) passed two motions, announced several key deadlines and conducted an open forum during its March 25 meeting.
SGA passed two general funds requests: one for the Student Programming Board’s Pacific Sounds Music & Arts Festival and another for the Student Health Center (SHC) to help create a vending machine for over-the-counter pharmaceutical products. The Senate also discussed the Board’s upcoming Senior Sunset event during the open forum.
“I know that we’re wrapping up this year and know a lot of our sights are set on what the future holds for us,” SGA President H.L. McCullough said. “This would be a great way to leave a legacy of this Senate.”
General Funds Requests
SGA awarded $4,576 to the Board to enhance food options at the March 28 Pacific Sounds Music & Arts Festival, by funding an additional food truck and a free dessert vendor, according to the meeting agenda.
The Senate is endorsing the Pacific Sounds Music & Arts Festival because the event previously had a large attendance, but attendance has decreased over the last couple of years due to uncontrollable circumstances, McCullough said. Additionally, SGA covered only 10% of the event’s overall cost, which is low compared to what SGA had typically provided.
SGA has traditionally provided funding for this event, such as funding requests for a Ferris wheel in previous years, which is another good reason to approve this request, SGA Advisor Danielle Minke said.
Senior Class Senator Gavin Legos said SGA should advertise itself at the event through a banner made by the print shop, which could be hung by or near the Senate-funded food trucks.
Additionally, SGA passed a general fund request to award the SHC $6,000 to create a vending machine for over-the-counter medicine, essential health supplies and hygiene products, allowing students to have 24/7 access to these items, according to the meeting agenda.
The SHC will be responsible for restocking the vending machine, as they can purchase the products at a much lower cost, Sophomore Class Senator Christine Belay said. The SHC’s collaboration ensures the cost of these items is lower than that of items sold at the bookstore.
“Genuinely, this is monumental,” McCullough said.
Executive Vice President Jacqueline Justiss said the SHC still has a lot of contract work to do with the Office of the General Counsel to secure approval for the vending machine.
Furthermore, for cybersecurity purposes, the vending machine has to be connected to a separate Wi-Fi network, which contributes to the delay, Minke said.
Contraceptives will not be one of the products offered by the vending machine, Belay said.
The funding for the vending machine will be set aside for the appropriate time to best support the successful acquisition and installation of the machine, according to the meeting agenda.
Associate Dean Doug Hurley and SHC Director Rebecca Roldan both seem adamant on getting the vending machine on campus before the next school year starts, Justiss said.
Additionally, the annual Senior Sunset event is happening April 10, Senior Class President Julian Moghaddasi said. SGA wants to fund the event’s food, and the Board has reached out to vendors they have worked with previously.
During next week’s SGA meeting, the constitutional review will be taking place, and the last day to submit any resolutions or general funds requests will be April 3, Hamdan said.
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Contact Oliver Evans via email: oliver.evans@pepperdine.edu