SGA passes tri-Beta scholarships

Biology honor society Beta Beta Beta received $665 to use for a scholarship and a formal induction ceremony during the Student Senate’s Tuesday meeting.

The senate also passed three other finance bills during the meeting.

The Beta Beta Beta bill originally asked for $700, but after passing through finance the first time, the amount was lowered. There was a change in the criteria for the scholarship, opening it to all students, which sent the bill back to finance. After the finance committee was informed of the changes to the scholarship criteria the money for the scholarship was realloted. However, the money for the room rental for the induction ceremony was lowered because the price was less than expected.

A bill proposed by Hillel was passed for the full amount of $1,000 to help with the cost of speaking and appearance fees for Paul Rusesabagina, who will speak today on genocide in Rwanda, as well as throughout the world.

The organization Madison Marketing received the full amount requested, $640, to help pay for four members to attend a conference in April.

"We want to send as many members as possible to the conference in New Orleans and this money will go to some of the conference fees," said senior Kelsey O’Neal, president of Madison Marketing. "This conference provides training for our new executive board. Student groups make presentations and give feedback about what has worked for their clubs."

The Lambda Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. received the full amount of $550 requested. This money will help to pay for the cost of decorations, entertainment, and publicity for the "AKAptured Affair" ball at the Four-Point Sheraton Hotel.

Members of AKA said the money allows for AKA to have a more upscale event. The ball will bring other universities together, since other chapters of AKA from different schools will be attending.

A bill proposed by The BluesTones a capella group requesting $4,000 from contingency was sent back to finance. The money requested would be used to help cover the cost of mixing and mastering the group’s next CD.

"It was sent back because there are issues to clear up with how the recording the of the rest of the CD was done," said senior Melissa Laughner, finance committee chair, "Hopefully it will go through because they do meet all the requirements."

Two new bills were sent to the finance committee. The first from the organization Circle K asking for $360 to send four executive members to the District Convention. The second from Madison Investment Fund requesting $640 to pay for four executive members to attend the RISE Symposium.