Saint Mary's Board of Governance members awarded official club status to the Africa Faith and Justice Network and discussed the pep rally that Saint Mary's will co-host with three dorms at Notre Dame at their meeting Monday night.
The Africa Faith and Justice Network is a national, Catholic organization based in Washington, D.C., said club co-president Meagan Walerko.
While Notre Dame was the first college to have a chapter of AFJN, Saint Mary's students have always been members of Notre Dame's organization.
"We want to work with AFJN at Notre Dame, but we also want to be able to do our own thing," Walerko said.
Club activities would include working with refugees from the continent of Africa who come into the South Bend area, sending used textbooks to schools in Africa and raising awareness of the issues that affect the continent.
BOG members discussed the club's planned activities and voted to recognize AFJN.
The World Taekwondo Federation, a Notre Dame club with Saint Mary's members, also announced their desire to become a recognized Saint Mary's club.
The issue was not voted on because Board members said they needed more information about the club and its plans for the involvement of Saint Mary's students. The discussion was tabled until the club reevaluates their role in relation to Saint Mary's and returns to BOG.
A representative for Students for Organ Donation also presented at the meeting.
Students for Organ Donation is a new organization on Saint Mary's campus that wants to raise awareness of organ donations. It would also like to increase involvement at campus blood drives.
BOG member decided to direct the organization to Health and Wellness commissioner Heidi Goeppinger, who can help club leaders develop their ideas more fully.
After the discussion on club recognition, student body president Susan McIlduff announced that Saint Mary's College will return to the tradition of hosting one of the Notre Dame pep rallies.
"Through many, many emails and phone calls we have a pep rally," McIlduff said.
Saint Mary's students will be co-hosting the last pep rally of the season, before the Army game.
"We will be hosting along with Sorin [College], Breen-Phillips [Hall], and Carroll [Hall]," McIllduff said.
In Other BOG News:
u First-year elections are today. Freshman can receive a paper ballot at the student center front desk. A Saint Mary's student I.D. card is required to receive the ballot.
u Residence Hall Association elections will be held Thursday, Sept. 21. The ballot may also be paper if an electronic ballot is not available on PRISM.
