New clubs on campus may soon need approval from student government rather than the Office of Leadership, Development & Programming.
This is at least an idea proposed in a bill, sponsored by Sen. Angela Wilson. If passed, the bill, titled “A Better Purpose,” will put SG in charge of approving clubs and organizations. The bill also gives SG administrative access over Orgsync, the website that campus clubs and organizations use for engagement.
Currently, the Office of Leadership, Development & Programming approves organizations and manages Orgsync. SG manages the activities and services fees, which fund student organizations. SG also funds the Office of Leadership.
Being recognized as an official club at USF St. Petersburg allows organizations to reserve rooms and tables on campus free-of-charge, apply for funding and use the university’s name along with their club.
Not all students are happy with the proposed change. Nia Joseph, president of the Caribbean Culture Exchange, does not like the idea of going through SG rather than the Leadership Office.
“I would rather have a professional staff member assist me with my needs,” she told The Crow’s Nest, adding that she didn’t think many SG members were qualified to help her.
After frustrations boiled over in a Facebook forum, SG members sent the bill from the general assembly to the Senate Committee on University, Community, and Government Affairs to be re-evaluated. Concerned organization members gathered there to discuss the problems with the bill.
Senate Pro-tempore Jared Pieniazek said the bill is intended to support the organizations who get denied club status at the university by the office of leadership.
To be approved, the organization’s constitution must fit within university policies and the guidelines spelled out in the SG statutes, which include that organizations must not require loyalty oaths or mandatory dues, discriminate against students seeking to join or deny membership privileges to any student.
The office of leadership has denied organizations university status because of reasons outside of university policy and SG statutes, according to Pieniazek. He pointed to fraternities, which the leadership office is not prepared to handle. Students in fraternities at USFSP do continue to gather, but without university support and funds from SG. Pieniazek thinks clubs should not be denied university status if they fit with university policy and SG guidelines.
“They should be rewarded all the rights and privileges as you are,” Pieniazek said to the club members attending the meeting, explaining his reasoning for wanting SG to approve the clubs rather than the leadership office.
If SG bill is passed, clubs will go through the Senate Committee on University, Community and Government affairs rather than the office of leadership to get their organization’s constitution approved.
Several members of the Gay Straight Alliance attended the meeting, because they were concerned about what they had read on Facebook. But after they heard the reasons for the bill, they were for it.
“Everyone thought student government was going to be dominating,” Dani Merewether, the president of GSA, said, adding that their concerns were resolved easily.
This weekend, CJ Vila from the office of leadership, development & programming will review the bill suggest changes. He could not be reached for comment before publication.
