The St. Thomas Undergraduate Student Government approved funding for 10 clubs, swore in a new member and hosted St. Thomas president Julie Sullivan at its March 8 general council meeting.
First-year Najma Osman is the new USG representative for the Dougherty Family College. Osman is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota but was born in Nairobi, Kenya.
“I have a strong interest for government and the impact it can really have so when I heard about this opportunity I was eager to get more information,” Osman said.
Osman is currently working towards a liberal arts associate’s degree and hopes to eventually get a bachelor’s degree in public health.
Senior Jake Hartmann requested help from USG for the Volunteer Center’s Spring Day of Service event on April 21. The theme for the event this year is sustainability and food security. Activities will include a river cleanup, helping out at Second Harvest and Catholic Charities, collaboration with Brightside Produce and cleaning up the St. Thomas neighborhood and St. Paul flower beds.
“I think it’s a great was to give back to the community,” Hartmann said. “Our mission statement is to advance the common good so actually getting out there and serving others is probably the best way to do that, and it’s fun.”
Sullivan accepted an invitation to the Spring Day of Service on behalf of herself and her dog, Bella.
USG has agreed to fund the March out of the Arches graduation event for seniors indefinitely after the graduation committee came up $70,000 short. The deficit is due to the proposed $50 graduation fee being waived for this year only. The March out of the Arches event is expected to cost $12,000 a year.
In internal club requests, USG approved $2,900 for Computer Science club, $1,386 for the Association of Women in Science, $1,527.75 for the Society of HR Management, $450 for Muslim Student Association, $2976.75 for German Club, and $2,580 for Women in Business.
In campus-wide requests, USG approved $960 for Muslim Student Association’s Social Network dinner, $500 for Women in Business’ Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace lunch and reimbursed Muslim Student Association $550 for their finals study night that took place last semester.
In conference and competition requests, USG approved $112.50 for women’s volleyball tournament registration costs.
Solveig Rennan can be reached at renn6664@stthomas.edu