The Undergraduate Student Government hopes you are enjoying the spring semester so far. 

USG joined the Office of the Dean of Students for the t food pantry’s grand opening at 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 7. President Wu and Provost Essig were in attendance as Baruch unveiled its newest amenity.

President Laiba Hussain gave a speech to commemorate the food pantry’s opening , which has been in the works for some time. The efforts of Associate Director of Community Standards Brandy Peer as well as student advocates from over the years made the opening possible. 

Before the food pantry, the Office of Health and Wellness gave out “Food To-Go” bags that contained canned food and other necessities. Now that room 1-116 has additional space, it could hold the food pantry, where students can grab hot food or canned food for themselves and their families. 

This is an important milestone at Baruch College since some students on campus do not have access to food due to financial barriers. Not eating affects students’ academic performances and USG is happy to promote the food pantry to as many students as possible. 

Chair of Clubs and Organizations Jessica Yauri, Chair of Finance Asher Gonzalez and Chair of Marketing Adelaide Ilyasov did an information session on club budgets, Bernie’s and co-sponsorships during club hours on Feb. 9. 

USG held the event to assist and guide club leaders in navigating budget season, how to nominate clubs for the Bernie’s and how to do co-sponsorships with USG, both monetarily and through marketing. 

Gonzalez also explained the deadlines for submitting the 2023-2024 budget. There are incentives for clubs who submit before the deadline.

If a club submits its budget proposal on Feb. 24, they are entitled to an additional $250; an additional $150 if submitted prior to March 17 and an additional $50 if submitted prior to March 24.

April 11 is the final deadline for clubs to submit their budgets. If a budget proposal is submitted after the deadline, the club will not receive a budget by the end of Spring 2023. 

Yauri explained the co-sponsorship process alongside Ilyasov. 

If a club requires under $500 from USG, then they are eligible for a co-sponsorship. However, they must inform the Chair of Clubs and Organizations three weeks before the event takes place. 

Lastly, the USG representative explained the Bernie’s award show and how to nominate a club for the Bernie’s. The Bernie’s is a ceremony where clubs receive awards for their hard work and dedication.