SGA’s weekly meeting was jam-packed with 14 BUC fund applications, five first reads of new legislature and several appointments.

Five of the applications were under $2,000, and were accepted as a whole under the consent calendar. The remaining nine were discussed during the senate, with all but one being allocated at least partial funding.

Three of the applications caused significant debate and contention. Family Medicine, Men of Distinction and Ladies of Virtue and Organization of Student Representatives, who were allotted $10,000, $4,990 and $1,000, respectively, resulted in extended discussion time and what was almost a tie-breaker vote for Vice President Nathan Farnor before a motion was withdrawn.

Alternative Breaks received $5,000; Student National Pharmaceutical Organization, $0; Muslim Student Association, $2,000; Lions Club, $2,940; Admissions Ambassadors, $2,750 and Model UN received $7,000.

This meeting was the third and final BUC fund meeting of the semester, leaving $8,988 for next semester, according to secretary of allocations Dustin Gilmer.

As the semester begins to come to a close, new legislation is making its way in. SSR-16-002 through SSR-16-006 all had their first reads this week.

SSR-16-002 is about one of ETSU students’ most talked about problems – parking. The recommendation makes a suggestion to have the student to faculty/staff ratio apply to parking spots, allocating more to students in underused lots.

SSR-16-003 proposes more supplemental instruction (SI) for chemistry students.

SSR-16-004 seeks to ban styrofoam on campus in order to reduce waste and keep more materials out of landfills.

SSR-16-005 furthers the initiative to go green by suggesting ETSU track its energy intake and monitor emissions and waste in order to cut down on energy used and realize ETSU’s impact on its surrounding environment.

SSR-16-006 takes into account one of the recommendations of the supporting excellence in teaching research group and moves to change ETSU’s mission statement to reflect an emphasis on teaching.

With vice president Nathan Farnor and president pro tempore Connor Landers returning this week after being sick during the prior meeting, SGA was able to accomplish more legislative goals.