On Wednesday, Sep. 16, Michigan Tech’s Undergraduate Student Government (USG) held its third meeting of the semester. They discussed the Sock it to Hunger fundraiser, the RSO budget, and a sneak peek into the future Park Center.
The meeting began with guest speaker Laura Bulleit, Vice President of Student Affairs, discussing the Park Center. The purpose of this building is to honor Chang K. Park, who last year donated around 55 million dollars, the largest gift in Michigan Tech history, to have the 90,000 square feet center built. Bulleit said, “Mr. Park is an alumnus who graduated in 1973 with Electrical Engineering and Business Administration. He has always felt strongly about giving back to the university.” He envisioned a building that focused on the students’ mental health and well-being by creating a space on-campus. Construction will start in October on Lot 11, next to the Admin building.
In officer reports, Vice President Braden Quesenberry spoke about the success of the Sock It To Hunger fundraiser for the food pantry. They have so far received 113 total donations and have raised almost $400. Donations are still being accepted in exchange for socks, while supplies last, at the USG office located in the MUB.
Treasurer Conner Skalitzky talked about the Registered Student Organization (RSO) Allocation funds. The fund is currently on-track for this school year, with only ten percent of the budget spent so far in week three. He also explained the difference between the Reserve Fund and the Opportunity Fund they have allocated in their budget. The Reserve Fund is meant for replacement, procurement, or emergency repair, while the Opportunity Fund is meant for new or expanded opportunities or startup budgets.
Elections will open on Monday, Sep. 21 at 8 a.m. and close on Sunday, Sep. 27 at 5 p.m. The positions up for election are First-Year, Residential, and Third-Year Representative seats. The next USG meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sep. 23 at 7 p.m. in the MUB Alumni Lounge.
