SGA votes to allocate funds towards scholarships, Hardin Planetarium donation

Arthur H. Trickett-Wile

Members of WKU’s Student Government Association meet on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 18 2022, at the Student Senate Chambers on the second floor of Downing Student Union. Here, members listen as a member of the executive branch speaks from the podium.

Makaio Smith, News reporter

The Student Government Association met on Tuesday, April 19 a few hours before the 2022 SGA election results were delivered for a regularly scheduled meeting.

The SGA voted to allocate funds to a variety of organizations and projects, including fall organizational aid, scholarships, a donation to the Harding Planetarium and more. 

Bill 42-22-S proposed that the SGA allocate $8,000 in funding to organizations that applied for organizational aid. The bill was passed unanimously and each organization that applied was granted $500.

Bill 45-22-S proposed that the SGA allocate $15,500 across five different scholarships. It was passed unanimously, and the funds will be split as follows:

$3,500 will be put towards 14 Summer Class Scholarships, with each scholarship receiving $250.

$4,000 will be given to eight study abroad scholarships, each receiving $500.

$4,000 will be allocated towards the Intercultural Student Engagement Center Book Scholarships, 16 in total, with $250 going to each.

$3,500 will be allocated to the Scholar Level Scholarship, this includes 14 scholarships that will get $250 each. 

The SGA will also be allocating $500 to Black Student Alliance scholarships, the first time it has done so. 

“There will be two $250 scholarships for the winners of Woman of the Year and Man of the Year,” Addison McCoun, Legislative Operations Committee Chair and Potter College of Arts and Letters Senator, said.

Bill 40-22-S asked the SGA to allocate $1,000 as a donation to the Hardin Planetarium. The SGA unanimously decided to donate $325.

Bill 43-22-S also was approved, which requested funding for the WKU Academic Career Development Center.  The SGA will allocate $500 to help fund an event to show appreciation for student workers.

Bill 44-22-S called on the SGA to allocate $500 to the WKU CEC Annual Run/Walk for Autism. Because of a limited budget, the SGA voted to allocate $300.

“This organization serves WKU students and the more money they get the more students they can serve across an individual’s lifespan,” Shelby Robertson, committee head for Student Enrollment and Experience, said. “WKU SGA is dedicated to serving WKU students with disabilities and supporting neurodiversity.”

Bill 46-22-S was the last to be approved, which asked the SGA to allocate $570.02 to place an E-Waste recycling bin on WKU’s main campus.

“This E-waste recycling bin provides a way to responsibly dispose of personal electronics and batteries on-campus,” Zach Skillman, chair of the Campus Improvements and Sustainability Committee, said. “WKU would earn 0.25 Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) credits, which would take WKU one step closer to reaching its goal of becoming Gold Certified.”

News reporter Makaio Smith can be reached [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @MakaioSmith