Senate Meeting: USG elects new Rep. Sen. and outlines club budgets

 USG

USG

Edgar Llivisupa, Sports Editor

Baruch College’s Undergraduate Student Government met for its sixth Senate meeting of the spring 2022 semester on March 22.

The board reviewed nine video submissions to fill a vacant Rep. Sen. position after Thailia Aviles resigned.

In order of appearance, the applicants were junior Nicholas Bilotti, freshman Mohina Abdullaeva, junior Julissa Ortega, sophomore Charlene Figueroa, sophomore Nidhi Shah, senior Kelly Escamilla, sophomore Katherine Dionicio, senior Hande Erkan and junior Ronen Tarnow-Fine.

Escamilla, a corporate communications major, was elected via a 15-0-0 vote after an executive session.

In her video submission, Escamilla shared that she ran for election after feeling fulfilled when volunteering at USG events.

“Every time that I’m a part of an event, I honestly feel so happy after it and I would like to continue to have this feeling where I feel so happy and satisfied, because I know that I helped out Baruch students,” she said.

One initiative Escamilla wants to undertake is providing students headshots for their LinkedIn and professional accounts. She recalled prior events that offered the opportunity.

“I think that now, after COVID, families, it might have taken a hit on them and some students may not have these resources,” she said.

She would also provide business-attire cutoffs for the pictures.

Chair of Finance Tyler Yang outlined an email sent to school clubs requesting their 2022-23 budgets.

In the email, Yang told clubs that in-person events can take place starting in fall 2022 and that refreshment costs can be included again in their budgets. He advised clubs to be flexible with their spending in case COVID-19 resurfaces and causes student life to return to virtual.

Student Life also recommended clubs consider a hybrid model for events, noting that online events may have a greater reach to students.

There are incentive deadlines for clubs to submit their budgets before the April 15 deadline. A $250 incentive will be provided to clubs that send their budgets by March 27, a $150 incentive by April 1 and a $50 incentive by April 8. If a budget is submitted late, the club will have to submit a late budget proposal in fall 2022.

Assistant Director of Leadership Development Dinetta Curtis will follow up on whether a club can exceed the maximum budget allotment, $10,000, if they are recipients of an incentive.

Chair of Philanthropy Jason Galak announced that the winner of the “Cute Pet Photo Contest” will be announced during the April 26 senate meeting.

Vice President of Academic Affairs Osvaldo Garcia, Vice President of Campus Affairs Erika Cumbe and Vice President of Student Affairs Laiba Hussain were not in attendance.