At last night's meeting, the Saint Mary's Student Government Association (SGA) discussed possible ways in which the school could provide aid for the people of Haiti.
There are currently "Help for Haiti" change jars around campus, including at the front desk of the student center. The money collected will be sent to assist various groups in need, Katrina Mesina, SGA chief of staff said.
Carissa Salvador, president of the Student Diversity Board, informed other members of the Board of another ongoing relief project. Bettina Spencer, assistant professor of psychology at Saint Mary's, is the faculty advisor for a program that is collecting extra T-shirts from past events at Saint Mary's and sending them to victims of last Tuesday's earthquake.
"We would like all the clubs to donate what they can," Salvador said, "Students can also donate their old T-shirts. Every one can help."
The Board also brainstormed other ideas like a Donate a Meal fundraiser, a canned food drive and a Hacienda or Chipotle Night in which proceeds would go to relief in Haiti.
The Board plans on accepting more suggestions and voting on the issue at their next meeting.
In other SGA news:
tMegan Griffin, SGA vice president, presented a petition from the Political Science Club, asking for funding for a special funding program in Indianapolis in mid-February. The program, she said, is a selective learning opportunity for 18 college students, two of which will be Saint Mary's students.
Griffin explained that the program was very important to Saint Mary's because it lobbied the state Senate and House for more funding for private colleges and universities.
"This is our chance to show that funding is really important for private schools as well," Griffin said, "a lot of grant money is in danger of being cut, which would affect all of us, especially students from Indiana."
The Board awarded the club the funds needed for two students' hotel room and transportation throughout Indianapolis during the program.
Griffin said this was an issue that they would be involved in beyond the three-day program. She said this was an issue to which both the club and College president Carol Ann Mooney were dedicated.
