USG reviews funds

The Undergraduate Student Government discussed funding opportunities, a new program to provide free menstrual products and introduced new members in the senate meeting Tuesday. 

At the start of the meeting, chief financial officer Adenike Makinde announced that 65% of USG’s funding has been used, encouraged members to make proposals to use the remainder of the funding and detailed the funding proposals process, with separate processes for proposed funding under $500 and those over.

Three funds proposed throughout the semester have recently opened, including the accessibility fund, social innovation fund and green engagement fund. 

The accessibility fund will provide funding for programs contributing toward physical or institutional access for communities that are facing disadvantages. The goal of the social innovation fund is to provide students the opportunity to pursue a short-term project centered around student needs and the needs of the surrounding community. Finally, the green engagement fund will provide financial support to build community and culture through sustainability and environmental justice.   

President Alexis Areias introduced the new chief communications officer, Jacob Wheeler, a freshman majoring in journalism and political science, as well as the onboarding of new wellness chair Bradley Furgerson, a junior majoring in neuroscience and Chinese. 

Areias provided a progress update on her project, a partnership with Leda Health, which aims to provide at-home test kits for sexual assault survivors. As of now, Leda Health is partnering with members of the Panhellenic Council and is in discussion with the Interfraternity Council.

She also discussed her successful free menstrual products pilot program, providing free menstrual products in every building across campus, and is working to provide work-study alternatives for undocumented students and reinstating free blue books and scantrons for students. 

“I have seen that USG is really trying to do something that we can put money towards to help our community,” Areias said.

Senator Nivea Krishnan provided updates on three main projects that she has been working on, including a meal swipe donation program for students who are facing food insecurity on campus, a petition recognition resolution that she is working on with the Student Coalition Against Labor Exploitation to ensure administration will listen to their demands and an outreach program to address concerns about the vaccine in the community. 

In his presentation, senator Brian Stowe provided updates on his progress with establishing the Military Associated Student Association, sharing that he has authored a statement with senator Russell Augustin in support of its incorporation. A constitution has been sent, and signatures from the community were gathered. MASA is now in the progress of drafting a resolution that is slated to be presented to the senate next month.

During the new business section of the meeting, senator Arie Abija presented a funding proposal for the art therapy initiative to be held in late March in collaboration with the Survivor Support Community, Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment, Visions and Voices and Delta Omicron Zeta. 

The mission of the project is to create a community for healing survivors by having safe and supportive allies. The project will start with a guided meditation, then proceed with anonymous sharing of experiences and thoughts, a group painting session and conclude with a debrief discussion. 

“After what happened at Sigma Nu last semester, I just couldn’t not do it … I found being a survivor to be incredibly isolating,” SSC president Sammie Sorsby-Jones said in an interview with the Daily Trojan. “It felt less of a choice and more of a calling. I just really felt like I had to do this. I needed to create this space at USC because I just saw all these survivors trying to support each other.”

The proposal requested $3,000 in funding to spend on a canvas stand and tarp, set-up, refreshments and invite artist Claudia Concha. The funding proposal will be up for debate at next week’s meeting.