Student Government approved nine Student Life Grant Proposals at the Jan. 28 meeting. The approved projects largely deal with campus renovations, student involvement and student organization programming.
Seven projects were approved for immediate disbursal while an additional two were approved to receive contingency funds. The contingency budget will contain any funds that are not utilized by grants from the fall semester as well as any money left from the Student Life fee that is not used by student organizations, as stated in the grant proposal recommendations from the Allocations Committee.
Any funds not utilized from the Student Life Fee by the end of spring semester will be transferred into the Otterbein general budget.
The majority of the approved funds went to projects concerning campus renovations, with four projects approved totaling $35,650.40. Two projects, one titled Water Bottle Filling Stations and Aluminum Water Bottles and the other titled Changing Tables in Campus Restrooms, would renovate campus buildings directly.
Both were approved for immediate disbursal and the water bottle proposal was approved for additional contingency funds with second priority.
The OUSG Sustainable Bag Project proposal was approved for immediate disbursal and would incentivize the reduction in use of plastic bags by providing a reusable grocery bag to the first 500 students to bring in 10 plastic bags during an event at the Campus Center.
Fun Furniture Fixtures for Friends was given first priority in the contingency budget and allocated $22,215.40. This project aims to provide furniture for the outside of the campus center and, “create an even more welcoming outdoor space for students,” as stated in the proposal.
Grants approved for student organization programs included a social dinner for education majors at the education theme house, a dinner open to the campus for social science majors to practice presenting their work and a $9,500 budget extension for the Campus Activities Board.
The projects regarding student involvement both involved giving away t-shirts. School Spirit Shirts was the only one approved for immediate disbursal, as well as additional funds from the contingency budget with third priority out of four. It would create a trade in program where students could receive Otterbein shirts in exchange for shirts from other universities or high schools. All shirts traded in would be donated to a local charity.
The other student involvement project was from the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and would give away 150 shirts branded with a design from the upcoming wrestling program at a baseball game this semester. This proposal was given fourth priority in the contingency budget.
