The University of Maine Student Government (UMSG) held its fifth meeting of the semester on Feb. 18, led by Student Body President Keegan Tripp and Vice President Memphis Peterson.
General Good and Welfare
Several students from a chemical engineering society discussed being able to attend a national conference with several industry-leading corporations, having been funded by UMSG the prior semester. They expressed that the conference was constructive, allowing them to network with companies that provide opportunities that are outside of their usual purview here in Orono.
UMaine Renaissance presented on their winter tour across New England with UMSG’s support spreading support for post-secondary musical pursuits as well as promoting UMaine in other states.
Executive and Periodic Reports
President Tripp began his report by announcing that WMEB was on board with the finalized referendum resolution, and that he would be working with Station Manager Ryan Kennedy to see how he and the WMEB staff could use their positions to promote the SAF raise. Tripp held a meeting with President and CEO of the Alumni Association Tom Peaco, discussing his proposal to hold the UMSG inauguration in the Buchanan Alumni Hall instead of the usual meeting chambers. He also hopes to soon introduce the syllabus bank project anchored by Senator Jordan Thompson to the Faculty Senate in the near future.
The reports of Peterson, Amanda Levesque and Oliver Bois largely revolved around the new club storage program, which was instituted earlier in the semester and allows clubs and student organizations to rent a locker of their own.
Vice President of Student Entertainment Dillon Leeman intends to table in the Memorial Union within the coming weeks to promote and answer questions about the upcoming Ricky Montgomery Show.
Vice President of Student Leadership Elizabeth Oldfield reported that the Winter Carnival will be held by the Center for Student Involvement in Fogler Library on Feb. 22.
In his report, Senator Casper Cowan shared that the Graduate Student Senate was supporting efforts to place a graduate student as a voting member of the Board of Trustees.
New Business
Senator Cynthia Shelmerdine, in her capacity as University of Maine Security Representative, introduced two resolutions that served as requests by UMSG to the University Administration to implement safety improvements. The first was a plan to reduce dark, unlit areas on campus based on a plan created by Shelmerdine’s Security Committee. Shelmerdine expressed that this was considered a high priority to improve student safety, and the Senate unanimously approved the bill.
The second was a funding request for speed humps, also proposed by Senator Shelmerdine, with the intention of improving pedestrian safety on Long Rd. While Senator Vassar Harvey expressed vocal opposition to the proposal, believing the humps to be an unnecessary burden to drivers, the Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill regardless.
Finally, UMSG passed a resolution that represented the culmination of several months’ work by President Tripp, setting in place a referendum that will codify a Student Activity Fee (SAF) raise of $22, bringing the overall total paid by students per semester to $100. The plebiscite will be held simultaneously with elections for UMSG leadership in March. The initial proposal saw both WMEB and the Maine Campus receiving $1 out of each SAF; Tripp noted that the Maine Campus had ultimately decided to opt out of the plan, leaving WMEB as the only benefactors of the additional dollar that was allotted to them in the final bill.
