SGA Report | Championship Monday tickets reimbursed, New Hope meal funded by RSO account

On Sunday, the SGA got back to business as usual, passing two bills and hearing an update on the ebook iPad project.

The Student Government Association (SGA) met for the first time after spring break on Sunday since the new constitution was approved by the student body. The group reviewed a bill to cover the cost of student tickets from the men’s basketball championship game and fund a meal for the New Hope Homeless Shelter. 

First up was Bill 90-020 to Provide Funding for Student Tickets for Championship Monday. This bill would provide assistance of up to $2,000 to the Bethel athletic department for the cost of student tickets for the Championship Monday experience at Hartman Arena.

Bethel Athletics covered this cost so that students could get into the game free of charge and in the past four years, the SGA has provided a reimbursement for this. After deliberations concerning whether or not the vote should be tabled until an exact amount is determined, the bill was passed unanimously, 8-0. 

Next in legislation was Bill 90-021 to Provide Funds for New Hope Homeless Shelter Meal. This Bill was introduced by the Secretary of the Senate and senator Isaiah Smith on behalf of Bethel College Community for Justice and Peace (BCCJP).

This bill would provide a meal for the homeless shelter on April 8 and is meant to supplement the BCCJP’s dwindling funds which have been set aside for other events coming up later this year. After a debate concerning where the funds should be drawn from, the bill was amended to draw funds from the SGA Registered Student Organization (RSO) account. This account is set up specifically for clubs to draw from and so far, the BCCJP has been the first to utilize this. The bill passed 8-0.

In old business, the SGA reviewed the budget, tabled the commuter lounge project until the rooms can be scouted and cleaned, and reviewed an executive order by President Taylor Dashney to fund student tickets for the Spring Musical, Tick, Tick… Boom! This order allows every Bethel student one free ticket for each showing of the musical. SGA members will be helping Shirley Ditzel distribute these tickets starting March 20.

Senator Matt Fleck also gave an update on the student ebook iPad project. The SGA is partnering with the library to provide hard-to-get textbooks for students through library iPads.

Committee meetings this weekend will take place outside of their regularly scheduled Sunday nights so that Senate members can attend the housing lottery. The SGA will meet again on March 26 at 7 p.m. in the WAC, room 203.