Giving was the theme at yesterday’s meeting of the Temple Student Government. Representatives were welcomed by catered food, a small gift compared to the $110,000 allocated.
TSG Allocations Committee Chairman Michael Tramontana decided how to divide this windfall, which will now finance most of TSG’s 125 organizations. Organizations had to vie for funding in a series of meeting last week and through their history of financial need. Tramontana used the meeting to warn the assembly about how important the allocations are, and Treasurer Christina Ackas reminded them about how important they’ll prove to be in the future.
“This is your money, make sure you use it,” Ackas said. “If you don’t use it, you lose all hope of getting it in the future.”
But the giving didn’t stop with funds. In her first address as Inter-Campus Affairs Chairperson, Phoenicia Lewis pledged to students that she would “make it better to go to classes at other campuses.” She then asked for the support of the TSG to make it easier for students from the Ambler and Center City campuses to attend classes here.
Diversity Affairs Chairperson Daniela Mendoza also discussed the importance of bringing another group to Temple: inner city youth. Mendoza reported on her experience in a panel discussion this weekend with administrators called “Diversity and Temple.”
“It was successful for a panel discussion,” Mendoza said, “but it was still pretty lackluster, a first time thing.”
Sarah Baker, VP of Academic Affairs, also expressed her dissent with a recent development in the administration. The University’s new General Education Requirements is now available to students and professors. Baker admitted that it’s going to change the way things are done academically at Temple in years to come.
“It has some good things and bad things,” Baker said. “We need to discuss what’s going on. It won’t affect us, but it will affect those who come after us.”
Additionally, Baker announced the TSG’s intentions to petition a recent University decision to change student-worker pay to a bi-weekly system.
“The petition raises two major points. The one is that we want weekly pay, and the other is that this decision, that affects students so much, was made without any student input,” Baker said.
This vocal attitude was well received by the TSG, but no one voiced his support as loud as Dekwuan Postell, VP of Student Affairs, who once again charged the assembly to speak up for the TSG.
“When the administration comes, speak! That’s the only time that you can do it,” Postell said.”
“I don’t care if you hurt their feelings. Talk, talk, talk!”
Christopher Reber can be reached at chris-reber@temple.edu.
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