The Fordham University United Student Government (USG) held their weekly meeting on Feb. 26 to approve budget requests, hear a new club proposal and listen to executive board, committee and senate updates.
The meeting began with several internal budget requests. Vice President of Facilities and Dining Madeleine Ando, FCRH ’27, requested funding for a tabling event. Ando also presented a conjoined request with Vice President of Sustainability Ayden Johnson, FCRH ’27, for cat houses. The pair came up with the idea to buy cat houses for students to paint during an upcoming event that can be placed around the Rose Hill campus to provide stray campus cats shelter during the cold winter months.
Senator Carter Soderberg, FCRH ’27, raised concerns about raccoons and rats using the cat houses. Ando assured him and the senate that there are people who will be in charge of checking in on and maintaining the cat houses.
Ando and Johnson also presented a request for funding to get petri dishes and swabbing supplies, as they will be conducting a survey of RamFit, the Rose Hill fitness center, to see if the wipes currently being used to sanitize the machines are working effectively. The pair also floated the idea of using reusable rags and sprayable sanitizers to clean the machines, but those items were not included in this budget request.
The class of 2029 senate requested funding to buy donuts for their tabling event.
The USG Diversity Action Coalition (DAC) requested funding for an event in collaboration with the Women’s Empowerment club for four cheese pizzas.
Finally, the Committee on Sexual Misconduct (CSM) requested money to buy supplies to donate to the local women’s shelter.
All of the budget requests were approved.
USG also elected the February Club of the Month. There were no online submissions, so each senate class and the executive board nominated clubs for the award. Smart Women’s Security was nominated and received six votes, Asian Cultural Exchange was nominated and received four votes, Mixed Martial Arts was nominated and received three votes and the Black Student Alliance (ASILI) was nominated and received nine votes. Smart Women’s Security and ASILI had the most votes initially, so they moved on to the final round of voting. ASILI won the award and was elected the February Club of the Month.
The executive board then presented their committee updates.
Vice President of Operations Tina Pathak, FCRH ’28, was unable to attend the meeting, so Senator Elijah George, GSB ’29, shared the operations committee updates to the senate. George noted that the new club form has closed and that the committee aims to wrap up new club presentations by the end of March.
For a brief break in executive board updates, there was a new club presentation. The proposed club, Steeped Stories Cafe (SSC), sent in a video to USG as they weren’t able to make the meeting in person. The purpose of SSC is to provide an inviting space for student connection over various activities, and to take a structured break from external stressors.
The first three club meetings would involve a mission session, where SSC would go over the aim to help students in taking care of their mental health and provide space for community. The second meeting would be a policy overview, where the club would go over guidelines, such as no phone usage while in session. The third proposed meeting would be an input session, where members would have a chance to add their suggestions to the club.
For proposed events, the club suggested a matcha making meeting, a reading day and a painting day.
In presenting why their club is different, SSC noted that their mission is to take care of mental health by being part of a community, with their policies and the opportunity for members to provide input.
The club proposal was discussed, with many USG senate members wondering if the club would really be different enough from already active clubs on campus. This concern combined with not being able to ask their questions to the proposers in person led the senate to elect to table the proposal.
Continuing with executive board updates, Vice President of Budget and Finance Peter Grimes, FCRH ’26, reported that the general budget is tight on funding, but that USG should be receiving their rollover funding soon. However, since Grimes cannot guarantee this, he suggested that all clubs submit their budget requests by Wednesday, March 4, so that the committee can do their best to accommodate the request.
Vice President of Fordham College at Rose Hill Mary Hawthorn, FCRH ’26, noted that there have been multiple instances of reported food poisoning, allegedly from the Marketplace dining hall, and that her committee is looking into it.
Senator Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, shared the updates for both CSM and DAC due to their respective committee leads being absent. CSM hosted Title IX training on Feb. 27 in the Campbell Integrated Learning Community room. DAC hosted a Black History Month movie screening in McShane Campus Center 112, also on Feb. 27. On March 3, DAC hosted a collaboration with the Women’s Empowerment club, where guest speaker Alice Wolfson, who works in women’s health advocacy, was asked to come in to speak to attendees. The USG DAC will be collaborating with the Residents Hall Association to host a Paralympics event. It will take place on March 18 in McShane 112.
The next USG meeting will be on March 5.
he USG Diversity Action Coalition (DAC) requested funding for an event in collaboration with the Women’s Empowerment club for four cheese pizzas.
Finally, the Committee on Sexual Misconduct (CSM) requested money to buy supplies to donate to the local women’s shelter.
All of the budget requests were approved.
USG also elected the February Club of the Month. There were no online submissions, so each senate class and the executive board nominated clubs for the award. Smart Women’s Security was nominated and received six votes, Asian Cultural Exchange was nominated and received four votes, Mixed Martial Arts was nominated and received three votes and the Black Student Alliance (ASILI) was nominated and received nine votes. Smart Women’s Security and ASILI had the most votes initially, so they moved on to the final round of voting. ASILI won the award and was elected the February Club of the Month.
The executive board then presented their committee updates.
Vice President of Operations Tina Pathak, FCRH ’28, was unable to attend the meeting, so Senator Elijah George, GSB ’29, shared the operations committee updates to the senate. George noted that the new club form has closed and that the committee aims to wrap up new club presentations by the end of March.
For a brief break in executive board updates, there was a new club presentation. The proposed club, Steeped Stories Cafe (SSC), sent in a video to USG as they weren’t able to make the meeting in person. The purpose of SSC is to provide an inviting space for student connection over various activities, and to take a structured break from external stressors.
The first three club meetings would involve a mission session, where SSC would go over the aim to help students in taking care of their mental health and provide space for community. The second meeting would be a policy overview, where the club would go over guidelines, such as no phone usage while in session. The third proposed meeting would be an input session, where members would have a chance to add their suggestions to the club.
For proposed events, the club suggested a matcha making meeting, a reading day and a painting day.
In presenting why their club is different, SSC noted that their mission is to take care of mental health by being part of a community, with their policies and the opportunity for members to provide input.
The club proposal was discussed, with many USG senate members wondering if the club would really be different enough from already active clubs on campus. This concern combined with not being able to ask their questions to the proposers in person led the senate to elect to table the proposal.
Continuing with executive board updates, Vice President of Budget and Finance Peter Grimes, FCRH ’26, reported that the general budget is tight on funding, but that USG should be receiving their rollover funding soon. However, since Grimes cannot guarantee this, he suggested that all clubs submit their budget requests by Wednesday, March 4, so that the committee can do their best to accommodate the request.
Vice President of Fordham College at Rose Hill Mary Hawthorn, FCRH ’26, noted that there have been multiple instances of reported food poisoning, allegedly from the Marketplace dining hall, and that her committee is looking into it.
Senator Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, shared the updates for both CSM and DAC due to their respective committee leads being absent. CSM hosted Title IX training on Feb. 27 in the Campbell Integrated Learning Community room. DAC hosted a Black History Month movie screening in McShane Campus Center 112, also on Feb. 27. On March 3, DAC hosted a collaboration with the Women’s Empowerment club, where guest speaker Alice Wolfson, who works in women’s health advocacy, was asked to come in to speak to attendees. The USG DAC will be collaborating with the Residents Hall Association to host a Paralympics event. It will take place on March 18 in McShane 112.
The next USG meeting will be on March 5.
