In the first meeting after the spring break, the Undergraduate Student Government Senate officially recognized the American Sign Language Club in a last-minute agenda item after Vice President of Clubs & Organization Kerri Mahoney forgot to propose the motion for a Senate vote before the open agenda period of the meeting.
“Unfortunately there is nothing for sign language at Stony Brook with the exception of the limited summer classes that are offered, which not everyone can afford,” American Sign Language Club President Janine Mariani said. “So I decided to found the club this past fall semester in order to allow people to have a means to learn the language, learn about deaf culture, and practice if they already know some ASL.”
The Stony Brook StandUp Charter and Stony Brook Tae Kwon Do, two organizations funded by the Special Services Council, were approved for line budget status, which gives them accounts for the academic year with money to be spent according to USG law.
The StandUp Charter is an organization that raises awareness about the effects of bullying and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals.
The charter co-hosted a Safe Space Foundations course with the Center for Prevention and Outreach on the evening of March 12 to train students in fostering safe environments for LGBTQ people.
The charter is planning for an event called Many Faces of Bullying to be held on April 23.
Tae Kwon Do, represented by Treasurer James Graf, requested line budget status to fund its participation in off-campus tournaments. Graf also mentioned the possibility of planning an on-campus tournament.
The Martial Arts Association was granted SSC funding. Its treasurer, Yun Lin, said the association was seeking to pay its instructors to teach fitness and self-defense and to purchase practice equipment.
The Martial Arts Association’s original budget proposal was edited to exclude funding for t-shirts, which is prohibited by SSC bylaws.
Additionally, Mahoney requested the association’s equipment be kept in a locker instead of a member’s dormitory, as Lin had previously suggested.
The Senate voted to pass two acts which appropriated $670 from unallocated funds to Christian Student Services and another $880 to the Stony Brook Ringers, a handbell and handchime choir.
On March 29 and 30, budget hearings were held to process club and organization budget applications.
USG Treasurer Brian McIlvain will propose the final USG budget on April 17 for approval—first by the Senate Budget Committee and then by the entire Senate.
