In a Joint Session, SU Senators and Treasury representatives voted to confirm five nominations for Constitutional Council. (Jasmine Li｜Student Life)

In the second joint session of the semester, Student Union (SU) Treasury and Senate swore in five Senators, three Treasury representatives, and approved five nominations to Constitutional Council. Following the joint session on Sept. 26, Treasury representatives allocated $19,975.93 in funding to five different student groups. 

Joint Session

During the joint session, Chief Justice of Constitutional Council and senior, Julia Cleary, swore in new Senators and Treasury representatives.

Cleary then nominated five candidates for Constitutional Council. Sophomores Noah Gornstein, Merry Schlarman, Maddie Pira, and first-year, Marcellus Thorsen were chosen from a pool of 40 applicants. Each new appointee had to write a legal brief, as well as explain their interest in joining Constitutional Council. Additionally, senior Ashwin Srinivasan who previously served on Constitutional Council before spending a semester abroad, was also nominated. 

“Overall, they’re extremely well-rounded candidates. I have full faith in their abilities,” Cleary said. 

All five nominees were approved with no opposition in the Senate and one Treasury representative opposed.

Treasury Appeals

Five student groups appealed for a total of $23,819.33. Treasury approved $19,975.93 of funds to be allocated to various student groups, bringing the semester total to $81,141,42.

The African Student Association (ASA) requested $10,343 in funds to bring Dr. Nnedi Okorafor to campus to speak at the group’s flagship event, Africa Week. Dr. Okorafor is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author. 

Originally designated as a social event, Dr. Okorafor’s speech was recategorized as a mission event causing the $140 allocated for food at the event to be removed from the request.

Debate centered around the estimated cost of Dr. Okorafor’s accommodations and air travel, which totaled $2,633, with $2,000 being requested for air travel and $633 being requested for accommodations.

Treasury representative, junior Leena Rai expressed concerns about paying such a high fee for air travel and accommodations, since Treasury would not be able to recover any unused funds that were paid to Dr. Okorafor’s agent. Rai instead suggested funding air travel for $1,000 and accommodation for $500 due to the fact that SU would not be able to recoup any unused funds, bringing the new recommendation to $9,070.

“Whether they choose to make that three nights at a cheaper hotel or two nights at a more expensive hotel is the speaker and the agent’s prerogative,” Rai said.

The group was funded for $9,070.

Taiwanese Student Organization (TSO) appealed for additional funding for the 10/10 Dinner, requesting $3,800 for a venue rental and $1,723 for transportation, totaling $5,523, $1,200 of which SU had already subsidized. TSO anticipated 180 attendees for the event and is charging $10 per attendee. The group did not include the revenue from ticket sales in their appeal for funding.

The representatives discussed raising the ticket price to help cover the event but ultimately decided that the lower ticket price allowed the event to remain accessible to more students.

“It makes it really accessible to a lot of students, especially those who are not keen on paying $25 or $30 for everyone, especially with the performance and the cultural elements as well,” Treasury representative, junior Andy Mun said.

In previous years, the venue, Mandarin House Restaurant, both hosted and catered the event, charging TSO $200 for a rental fee. Mandarin House’s closure this year forced TSO to find a new venue for the event. 

The high cost of the venue caused concern among some representatives. Rai floated the idea of setting a cost cap for venue rentals at $3,000, noting the venue in question, TechArtista, is one of the most expensive venues Treasury has seen. 

Treasury representative, junior, Saish Stayel was uncomfortable with setting a venue limit, citing that a limit does not account for unusual circumstances. 

TSO was funded for $4,323 to use towards securing a venue and transportation costs associated with the event.

WashU Esports and Gaming appealed for $2,456 so they could attend the Pokemon Go World Championship Qualifier in Sacramento, California. Of the club’s 135 members, only four are registered as travel eligible.

Under the newly adopted travel cost cap policy, each club is allocated $800 per traveling club member. Due to an earlier appeal submitted to Vice President of Finance, Mishka Narasimhan, WashU Esports only had $1,403 remaining in travel funds, after having already traveled to Pittsburgh for a tournament earlier in the semester. Esports was funded up to the travel cap of $1,403 to compete in the tournament in Sacramento. 

The treasury team unanimously moved to decrease funding for a Women’s Club Volleyball competition from $1,450 to $1,056.46. This adjustment occurred due to a decrease in gas funding from $0.25 per gallon to $0.20 per gallon and a decrease in recommended hotel prices. 

Club Tennis appealed for funds to compete in the Badger Classic in Madison, Wisconsin, requesting $2,370. The treasury team recommended funding $482.60 for rental cars instead of $800. The group was funded for $2,052.60.

The Men’s Club Ultimate Frisbee Team appealed for funds to compete in the Boiler Breakaway, requesting $3,127.33, and this request was funded in full.