The University of Maine’s Student Government (UMSG) held its 1,619th meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. in the Bangor Room at the Memorial Union. 16 senators attended as the Senate considered student organization recognition, funding requests, executive reports and several new initiatives.
The meeting began with the approval of the agenda and minutes from the Sept. 15 meeting. Sen. Rivera’s resignation was also announced at the beginning of the meeting.
Ski & Snowboard Club Receives Preliminary Recognition
The Ski & Snowboard Club received preliminary recognition from the Senate following a presentation from club president Flynn Barden.
The club meets biweekly to discuss skiing and snowboarding. Once there is enough snow, meetings will transition into trips to Sugarloaf Mountain. The organization also takes an annual trip to Canada, which typically includes between 25 and 30 students.
The club has been active for approximately six years and previously had more than 300 members on CampusGroups. Barden said the organization currently has about 200 students registered through Google Classroom and approximately 2,000 followers on Instagram.
The club also works with a local brewing company to raise money for the Maine Adaptive program, which provides adaptive skiing experiences for people with disabilities.
Senators asked about potential future funding requests. Barden said the club hopes to organize a Beginners Day event in February that would include transportation, lift tickets, equipment and other expenses. The exact cost of the event had not yet been determined.
The Senate approved the committee’s recommendation for preliminary recognition without discussion or debate.
Student Organizations Receive Final Recognition
The Maine College of Engineering and Computing Student Advisory Board received final recognition after Sen. Delorme spoke on behalf of the organization.
The advisory board is made up of engineering and computing students and reports directly to the dean of the Maine College of Engineering and Computing. The board provides students with an opportunity to give feedback about the college and gives students direct access to the dean without having to go through faculty.
Delorme said nine students, in addition to the executive board, attended the previous meeting. The organization plans to increase its advertising efforts over the next several weeks, primarily by speaking to students in classrooms before classes begin. The Senate approved the board’s final recognition.
The Caribbean and Latinx Student Association also received final recognition. Club president Sofia Carrasquillo said the organization is intended to provide an inclusive environment for all students, including students who are not Caribbean or Latinx.
The organization meets every Monday and typically has between seven and 15 students at meetings, with more than 15 students on its email list. The club does not charge member dues and collaborates with other student organizations.
Carrasquillo said the organization is hoping to restart a Carnival Day and host a Culture Fest in November. The group anticipates requesting between $400 and $500 for the events and plans to fundraise for costs beyond that amount. The Senate approved the organization’s recognition without debate.
The Bedazzling Club was also approved for recognition. Club president Natalie Murdoch described the organization’s goal as making “the campus sparkle a little more.”
The club bedazzles personal items and other objects and has collaborations planned with the American Chemical Society and the Mushroom Club. The organization currently has 30 members, six of whom joined within the previous 24 hours. The club meets every other week in the Den at the Memorial Union and expects to request funding for general supplies. The Senate approved the committee’s recommendation.
Senate Approves Funding for Consent Awareness Events
The Senate approved a $2,080 funding request from Sigma Phi Epsilon for two events: Concert for Consent and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes.
Mason Hartery, chair of the project, Brandon Mastrianno, the organization’s treasurer, and two other representatives presented the request.
Concert for Consent brings local bands together to raise awareness of sexual assault. The event partners with Rape Response Services and Partners for Peace.
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is a relay event in which participants walk around the mall wearing high heels. Representatives explained that the event is intended to represent the experience of women walking home after a night out.
The two events have previously been held separately but will be combined this year and held on the mall on the same day.
Hartery said Concert for Consent has been held for more than a decade. Last year, the concert drew approximately 350 people, while the walk had about 150 participants. Organizers expect similar attendance this year.
Funding will go toward food, sound and lighting equipment, the band stage, performers, flyers and shoes for the event.
Representatives said donations are welcome for the walking event, although teams are not required to pay to participate. Proceeds from the event will go to Rape Response Services.
The Senate approved the funding request following debate. Sen. Farnsworth spoke in support of the importance of the events to the campus community.
Executive Reports
President Cynthia Shelmerdine reported on several upcoming meetings and projects. She said she would meet with the president of the Black Student Union and serve as a guest speaker at a Student Athlete Advisory Council meeting. Shelmerdine also said she met with the vice president of research about developing a council with equal representation between graduate and undergraduate students.
She said she would work with the university’s director of communications to create a post addressing the university’s funding situation. The goal, according to the minutes, is to provide information and prevent what Shelmerdine described as false narratives or unnecessary concern.
Shelmerdine also announced plans for “Beat UNH” shirts for the women’s hockey team ahead of its Dec. 4 home game against the University of New Hampshire. The event will include a Fan Fest outside with food trucks, and the Student Government plans to distribute shirts to attendees.
Vice President Hazel Sparks reported that she had completed her senator meetings and was beginning work on the next projects for the semester. She also said she was working on the Sports Club Representative Board and restarting the Syllabus Bank Project.
Vice President of Financial Affairs Matthew Webber reported that he had spent much of the previous week helping student organizations begin the funding process, holding hiring meetings and working to ensure the university’s transition to Bangor Payroll goes smoothly.
Vice President of Student Organizations Alayna Dana said five clubs had appeared before her committee during the week. She also reminded club officers that update forms were due Sept. 22 and said she would soon begin an audit of student organizations.
University Budget Discussed
Student Government advisor Lauri Sidelko addressed questions surrounding the university’s budget situation.
Sidelko said the university’s financial situation has been developing for more than a year and encouraged senators to seek information about university funding and how different sources of money can be used.
According to Sidelko, university leadership is working to communicate about the situation and provide transparency. She noted that while enrollment and tuition have increased, university expenses have also risen.
New Policy and Student Government Election
The Senate also considered a new policy concerning pronouns in Student Government’s governing documents.
The proposed resolution, titled “Pronoun Standardization Across Documents,” would change remaining gendered pronouns in governing documents to gender-neutral pronouns. The Policy and Procedure Committee recommended approval, and the Senate approved the resolution without discussion or debate.
Sen. Braun was also elected to the Student Organization Committee after Sen. Noble-Brown resigned from the committee because of another time commitment. Several senators declined nominations before Braun accepted the position.
The meeting concluded with several announcements, including the Concert for Consent and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes events scheduled for Oct. 1. After a final roll call, Sen. Delorme moved to adjourn. The motion passed, and the meeting ended at 7:17 p.m.
