The Fordham Rose Hill United Student Government (USG) met on Thursday, Oct. 27, to discuss proposals and new business.
Vice President of Sustainability Sean Power, FCRH ’24, Anthony Lekakis, FCRH ’24, and Senator Isaac Muir, FCRH ’26, presented the Sustainability Committee’s Native Plant Proposal. Fordham is looking to create a rain garden as a drainage basin for flooding. The rain garden would collect water through a drainage pipe connected to Dealy Hall’s roof. The Native Plant Proposal asks that this rain garden and drainage basin includes plants native to the Bronx’s biodiversity. Power said that not only will using native plants help increase the biodiversity of the rain garden, but it will also be cheaper for the university and better for the soil. He said that there are a multitude of universities, including Harvard University and New York University, that have already implemented something similar to this proposal. Power also said he hopes student volunteers would be able to be involved with the planting of the garden. This proposal was passed by the Senate.
The Committee for International Integration (CII) representative presented a budget request for catering for a future event. The committee requested $300 from the USG’s discretionary spending because the CII does not have a budget. Vice President of Finance and Budgets Eron Maltzman, GSB ’25, explained CII did not receive a budget this year because last year the committee did not use any of their budget. This budget request was approved.
Executive President Briana Al-Omoush, FCRH ’24, presented the Senate with new Senate Agreements. She explained that she and Executive Vice President Ava Coogan, FCRH ’25, decided that they wanted to create agreements that outline every USG member’s role according to the bylaws. She also stated any breach in this contract can jeopardize the member’s current position on USG and would result in a meeting with Al-Omoush and Coogan.
Al-Omoush and Coogan announced their decision to appoint class senate heads — an informal position that works as the main source of communication with Coogan for that class year’s senate — in an attempt to have more organized class senate groups. Al-Omoush said this person would host monthly meetings with their senators and act as a helping guide. Additionally, Coogan explained that appointing class senate heads is to help with communication between the senators and the Executive Board. Vice President of Facilities and Dining Jamie Serruto, FCRH ’24, said this position should be listed in the USG bylaws.
Al-Omoush explained this idea is simply a trial-run for right now and currently, this position is very informal so there is no need to have this written in the bylaws as of right now. Coogan said this position is not like a class president at all but is simply to make communication easier. They announced Senator Emily Kennedy, GSB ’24, Zachary Visconti, GSB ’25, Nicky D’Abundo, FCRH ’26, and Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, as the class senate heads.
President Al-Omoush announced the second Town Hall meeting is set to be on Nov. 27. Vice President of FCRH Emma Balint, FCRH ’24, said she thinks that study abroad should be the next topic for the Town Hall. She explained that, in FCRH’s Dean’s Council, she has heard from many students about countless issues they have faced with the study abroad application process and issues in communicating with the study abroad office as well.
Balint stated this would be a good opportunity for students to hear one representative from the study abroad office explaining the answer to their questions.
