Stony Brook University’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Senate convened on Thursday, Oct. 31 to discuss the ongoing focus on refining policies to support student engagement, increase event accessibility and ensure fair election practices.
The meeting began with a proposal from at-large Senator Peter Joyce regarding the recently implemented Weekend and Evenings Event Enhancement (WEEE) Grant. Joyce proposed changing the language in the resolution to better clarify what grants registered student organizations could receive.
“Registered student legislation may not apply for both another grant and WEEE Grant for the same event,” Joyce said. “So you have one or the other.”
The financial bylaws were also amended to include the ability to use the WEEE grant for fundraisers, which was previously approved by USG Treasurer Bonnie Wong.
He also proposed shifting the start time for weekend events from 6 p.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays. USG Executive Vice President Ray Chen voiced concerns that a 12 p.m. start on Fridays might clash with some students’ schedules, urging further consideration on the timing.
Another key amendment that was discussed would enable the Budget Committee to allocate funds to events denied by Student Engagement and Activities.
Joyce described this provision as a “safety net” to support qualified events that might otherwise face delays or cancellations due to denied funding.
The Senate agreed to table the discussion so the amendments could be voted on at the next meeting.
Senators then shifted the focus to debating changes to candidate funding and campaign practices for USG elections.
At-large Senator Aman Mistry brought up past funding and how these changes may present themselves.
“Do we currently have a spending limit?” Mistry asked.
Vice President of Student Life Tanisa Rahman proposed eliminating funding for candidates, advocating a merit-based approach that emphasizes ideas over financial resources.
In response, Chen suggested reallocating election funds to other areas if candidate funding were removed, emphasizing cost-efficiency.
The council also discussed banning food, gifts and certain promotional materials in campaigns to maintain fairness. A vote on this proposal is expected to occur in an upcoming Senate meeting, alongside further discussions on setting clear campaign guidelines.
The meeting then turned to the Executive Council Reports for October, beginning with Chen’s Office of the Executive Vice President.
Chen reported getting halfway through the one-on-one meetings with the staff so far, hoping to continue through November. The Legislative and Vetting Committee also reported several reforms on different grants that have passed.
USG President Nistha Boghra updated the Senate on the Light the Brook event, as well as general accounting updates, such as the allocation of $30,500 toward the event.
“Lighting costs alone are $25,000, but most of that is covered by fall grants,” Boghra said. “Other expenses include tables, chairs, [audio-visuals], sound system[s] and promotional materials, with additional grants helping reduce the overall cost.”
Rahman gave a report regarding the Office of Student Life, focusing on the success of Spooky Brook this year.
“Spooky Brook was a wholesome event — people felt comfortable, creative and [were] in costume. It’s the kind of event where everyone can express themselves and just be part of the community,” Rahman said.
She also commented on the implementation of new traditions this year and the overall enjoyment of attendees.
“We started a new tradition this year with a jack-o-lantern event, featuring large pumpkins. People loved the designs, even though the pumpkins were too big to carry,” Rahman said.
Vice President of Communications Lamia Rathi gave an update on what the office has achieved in the past month.
“Our Instagram hit 11,000 followers, and our first newsletter [highlighting clubs] is coming out this month. We’re seeing strong engagement with 30 clubs interested in spotlights, running twice a week,” Rathi said.
Vice President of Clubs and Organizations Aryan Sharma shared an opportunity to reach more clubs and organizations and suggested that Senators spread the word.
“Our diversity day committee meets on Wednesdays, and we encourage everyone to reach out to clubs for better involvement. We also host weekly spotlights on clubs to engage the community,” Sharma said.
Wong reported on the Senate’s spending for the year thus far. She noted that the USG has spent just over $765,000 and received almost $1.7 million as of Saturday, Oct. 26.
“So far, we’ve funded 35 clubs, with $10,084 granted this semester. Additional funds will bring the total to over 40 clubs supported, showing strong involvement and legacy-building across campus,” Wong said.
She closed her report with a reminder to spread the word about WEEE grants as most of the grants awarded have been travel grants.
