Student Council discussed revisions to its budget and heard from the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee during its meeting Tuesday night. Since last week's meeting, the budget was increased from $194,495 to $226,855.
The updated proposed budget includes additional funding for the Student Council’s Diversity Engagement Committee, which “plans to work on projects that help make the University [a] more accessible place to all.” Student Council is allocating $12,000 in student activities fee funding towards diversity grants, which different CIOs can apply for.
Student Council is also proposing to allocate money to its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Medicaid information sessions, application workshops and subsidizing the non-tuition cost of attendance for students including student laundry and printing costs. Student Council is proposing $7,500 in funding to subsidize the cost of student laundry and printing after realizing students must make a minimum deposit of $25 to their Cavalier Advantage accounts when making a deposit online.
Student Council is also seeking to make changes to the International Student Affairs agency, a committee that seeks “to support and represent all international students at the University.” David Yang, fourth-year College student and director of the Internal Student Affairs agency, said the agency would like to increase their winter budget to support international students' wellbeing during winter break.
“A lot of us will be staying here in Charlottesville and we want to make winter break a little bit more fun in Charlottesville so [international] students won’t feel alone, far away from home,” Yang said.
The original budget allocated $2,900 to the winter activities program but was amended during the meeting to double that amount, making the new total $5,800.
Proposed funds for equity incentives, executive and administrative operations for the new Student Council headquarters and coalition engagement were also added to the budget.
The proposed budget was tabled and will be voted on during Student Council’s next general body meeting.
After discussing the budget, Abel Liu, president of Student Council and fourth-year College student, gave a brief update on the community-based program University Networks of Care, which is being developed in conjunction with many groups across Grounds. The program will address non-violent emergencies, including mental health crises, interventions with intoxicated persons and aggravated situations that take place within the areas of University Police Department jurisdiction.
“We do want to create this as a sustainable infrastructure within the University and all UPD jurisdiction to serve as the alternative crisis response options for any of those non-violent crises,” Liu said.
Liu said Student Council plans to discuss the program more extensively at its next meeting Oct. 19.
Casey Gottlieb, fourth-year College student and director of the Academic Affairs Committee, then provided an update on the committee’s meeting with Vice Provost Brie Gertler. According to Gottlieb, Gertler said the University does not plan to require professors to record lectures. Gottlieb requested that professors put policies for accommodating excused absences in writing, either via email to their entire class or in their syllabus, so then students can give feedback to their professors, and changes can be made accordingly.
Student Council meets weekly on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. in Newcomb Hall. Meetings can be attended in-person and are also accessible through a livestream.
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