The Fordham University United Student Government (USG) met on April 16 to hear delegate reports, pass budget requests and pass proposals.

Executive President Lucas Hjertberg, FCRH ’26, opened the meeting by asking if there were any delegate reports. Residence Hall Association (RHA) delegate Hannora Ragusa, FCRH ’26, said that on April 22, RHA will be hosting a petting zoo event, and on April 23, they will have a Pugsley’s pizza truck in front of the McShane Campus Center.

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) delegate Roger Chmielowiec, FCRH ’27, announced that ROTC would be having a “pie in the face” event on April 17, where students could pie ROTC cadets in the face.

USG then diverted to budget requests. Vice President of Facilities and Dining Madeline Ando, FCRH ’27, requested the use of discretionary funding to purchase keychains for everyone on her committee to commemorate their time working in Facilities and Dining. She noted that her committee does not have the remaining funds necessary to cover the $94 cost of the keychains. Vice President of Gabelli School of Business (GSB) Hunter Gholson, GSB ’26, offered to donate $60 of funding from his committee to help cover the costs.

Gholson then requested to purchase stress balls, stickers, succulents, plant starter kits and donut holes for his committee’s Earth Day events. Gholson also requested funding for napkins, awards, centerpieces and paper plates for the GSB Year in Review dinner.

Next, Senator Regan Healy, FCRH ’28, presented a request on behalf of Vice President of Communications and Marketing Yeonsu Son, FCRH ’27, who was absent, for a Canva Pro subscription for Son’s committee. Continuing on Son’s behalf, Healy also requested Chick-Fil-A for the Communications and Marketing committee’s end-of-the-year event.

Hjertberg decided to wait to vote on Son’s budget requests until she was present and could provide more information. However, they voted on the other requests, which all passed unanimously.

Senator Megan Ruzicka, FCRH ’27, then presented a proposal for a chronic illness workshop series. She said the series would include educational components and a student panel. She added that Counseling and Psychological Services were already on board with the idea and that she planned to involve the Fordham College Rose Hill (FCRH) Dean’s Council with the event as well. USG voted on the proposal, which passed unanimously.

Next, first-year Senator Henry Carstens, GSB ’29, presented his commission’s Contraceptive Policy Proposal to amend Fordham’s policy on contraception distribution. He said that they will be talking to Dean of Students at Rose Hill Kevin Williams in the coming weeks regarding the proposal. USG voted unanimously to pass the proposal.

Hjertberg then gave USG updates. He noted that the “Meet the Candidates” event for Senate positions would take place after the USG meeting at 8 p.m. He continued that “Meet the Candidates” for the executive ticket and executive board positions would occur the following night at 6 p.m. Hjertberg also announced that he and Gholson have a meeting scheduled with Vice Provost for Student Success Elizabeth Rainey on April 22 to discuss USG’s FCRH mentorship program proposal. He also announced that the USG inauguration would take place on April 27, at 6 p.m., in the McShane Campus Center, room 311.

During the executive board report, Vice President of Sustainability Ayden Johnson, FCRH ’27, said that his committee is prepared for their Earth Week events, which will start on April 20. He also said they are having conversations with the Office of Residential Life to gather donation bins for the end-of-year move out.

Vice President of the USG Committee on Sexual Misconduct Aidan Costella, FCRH ’27, announced that his committee’s annual clothesline project, a visual display set up around Edwards Parade using decorated shirts to spread awareness about sexual and domestic violence, is starting the week of April 20 and added that the display would be up for the whole week. He also said that on April 21, various health-focused departments on campus would be tabling on Edwards Parade, and that the event would include a Mister Softee ice cream truck.

Costella also said that his committee will be having an upcoming “make one take one” tabling, where attendees will be able to make a package that will be donated to a local shelter in the Bronx and take a package with them.

Ando announced that her committee will be having a tabling event on April 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and that they will be giving out chicken and beef sliders, mini carrot cakes and mini strawberry cheesecakes.

USG’s next meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, April 23.