Student Government’s committees met on Jan. 24 to vote on The Executive Commission Statute, approve new travel and special requests and decide on the January and February Osprey Voice survey topics. 

The Executive Commission Statute

Student Body President Michael Barcal, Student Body Vice President Ashlyn Davidson and Student Body Treasurer Benjamin Smith presented in front of the Budget and Allocations committee and Rules and Oversight committee to present the commission installation, as well as the fiscal component and provisionary language changes.

The commission installation is the full bill defining a commission’s role within SG and its powers. The fiscal component includes the proposed $7,000 Black Student Union and Pride Club will receive for operating expenses if the bill is passed. The provisionary language changes, or a proviso, is a condition defining the executive board members of commissions and the rules for commissions to attend and hold banquets.

Commissions are defined in the proposed SG Senate Legislation as a division of the SG Executive Branch that gives students who identify with a group a protective platform to express their culture at UNF and in the community.

The Executive Commission Statute allows BSU and Pride Club to join SG as a commission, giving them a physical space on campus that they lost in May 2023 following Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-DEI legislation.

The initial proposal passed the Senate on Jan. 10 and was unanimously passed by the R&O and B&A committees on Jan. 24. 

Travel and special requests

Aside from the proposed commission statute, the B&A committee also voted on multiple travel and special requests from Osprey Racing, the Sport Management Club and the Osprey Involvement Center. 

Osprey Racing requested $41,453.75 from the Special Request Index to help the club build their racecar for the upcoming year. 

Last year, the club requested over $60,000, to which the B&A committee did not grant. RSO requests over $7,000 require unanimous approval from the B&A committee and the Senate in order to pass, according to the SG finance code.

During the bill’s discussion Sen. Liz Kramer voiced support for full funding while Sen. Winter Slaughter said the club should get $35,000. This would be the same amount SG gave the club two years ago.

Sen. Jose Castaneda proposed giving Osprey Racing $30,000, to which Sen. Benjamin Shmia agreed and motioned to change the funding amount from $41,000 to $30,000.

The B&A committee unanimously approved Schmia’s motion in a six to zero vote, giving Osprey Racing $30,000 to fund their racecar.

The OIC requested $2,796.96 from the Special Request Index to host a Talon Painting Party for active RSO’s and Greek organizations. The Talon Painting Party would involve students painting new talons on the sidewalk next to the Arena Parking Garage. The money will fund the pressure washing of old talons from inactive RSO’s.

The special request was unanimously passed in a seven to zero vote.

The Sport Management Club requested $2,000 from the Travel Request Index to send 10 of its members to the SuperBowl for an internship opportunity. The group will be staying in New Orleans from Feb. 5  to Feb. 10, and the money would fund their hotel costs.

The travel request was unanimously approved with a vote of eight to zero.

January and February Osprey Voice surveys topics 

During the University of Student Affairs committee meeting, the group decided what the topics of January and February’s Osprey Voice proposal will be. 

The Osprey Voice survey is “a research tool used by Student Government to gather information about issues or initiatives pertaining to the student body,” according to the USA committee’s homepage.

The committee unanimously decided to focus on the RecWell in January and UNF athletics in February.

This means SG will be surveying students about their experiences and opinions on the UNF Athletics program and UNF RecWell’s different departments, such as the Student Wellness Complex or Eco Adventure. 

What’s next?

If The Executive Commission Statute is passed by the SG Senate this Friday, Jan. 31, BSU and Pride Club will have their own indexes in the Activity and Service Fee budget and can use Student Government spaces. 

The Florida Board of Governors will be at UNF on Jan. 30 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Spinnaker will be broadcasting live updates on the event. 

On Jan. 31, there will be budget hearings at 9 a.m., and the Senate meeting will be at 3 p.m., according to Senate President Audrey McGrath.

The budget hearings and Senate meeting will be held in the Senate Chambers.

To learn more about SG commissions go here.

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