CAB Continues to Prepare for Spring Weekend

By Cameryn Jones-Dutchess

Spring Weekend at St. Bonaventure University brings students together with lively music, activities that everyone can get involved with and amazing food. The weekend before finals is a time for students to unravel and enjoy campus prior to heading to the library and cracking down on school work.

While attendees of Spring Weekend are getting anxious about the event taking place April 27 and 28, the Campus Activities Board, or CAB, have been planning it since the beginning of the fall semester.

Robbie Chulick, assistant director of the Center for Activities, Recreation and Leadership, said, “this is one of the largest events each year,” which he explains that there are a lot of aspects that come with planning and organizing this big of an event. Ordering balloons, building a menu and finding a music line up are only some of things CAB needs to do to get ready.

Spring Weekend will cost roughly around $20,000 to $30,000, according to Robbie Chulick. This fund will take about 30-40 percent out of the Student Government Association’s (SGA’s) budget.

“Some of the money is used for tents, music equipment, the music lineup, food and other expenses that complete Spring Weekend,” said Chulick.

Fortunately, the Bona Bus vandal does not affect the amount of money CAB can spend for Spring Weekend. Since SGA has to pay for the repairs of the broken bus, CAB can focus on planning for Spring Weekend with the right budget to do so. A bus will be running during Spring Weekend during the day to bring off-campus housing students to campus.

Robbie Chulick also encourages any students that want to get involved or help with the planning of Spring Weekend to join CAB or SGA.

Along with Spring Weekend, the infamous Quad Party is also a staple that brings campus life together.

Students are upset by the news of the canceled Quad Party. Senior journalism/mass communications major Stefanie Podosek explained, “I think cancelling the Quad Party is a terrible idea because it is an unofficial tradition, along with Keg Klash and Rafting Down the River.”

Senior Haylei John, president of SGA, said, “Rob DeFazio stated at our last SGA meeting that a quad party would not be permitted this year.”

She also added, “this is not a SGA decision. It had already been decided by those in the student affairs and security departments and then relayed to SGA.”

There will be authorities around the townhouse area to ensure that any party will not ensue.

Even though a Quad Party will not be taking place this year, Spring Weekend will be a time for students to have an enjoyable experience before finals.

St. Bonaventure community shows support for DACA: a photo series

Photos by Chezell Montgomery

@cheyslays_

img_8092-1 — Members of the St. Bonaventure University community gathered in front of Plassmann Hall on Monday to show solidarity with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

img_8088-1 — The program allows undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children to remain in the country and work without threat of deportation.

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Current SGA constitution “null and void”

By Elyse Breeze

[Featured image courtesy of the Student Government Association. From left to right: Chief Justice Noah Burton; Associate Justice Samantha Gier; Associate Justice Colleen Corrado; Associate Justice Bradi Hopkins; Associate Justice Anthony Minchella; Associate Justice Nathanial Discavage]

The Student Government Association at St. Bonaventure University last operated on a legally ratified constitution in 2011.

Over the last five years, the SGA executive board has not consulted the student body with any proposed amendments to make to the official constitution.

The first SGA meeting of the spring 2016 semester opened with a report from president Rose Brown explaining that any and all amendments made to the constitution since 2011 have been “null and void.”

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SGA Metting: New Inductees, Clare college, Aramark

By: Emily Rosman @EmilyRosman

The Student Government Association meeting on Wednesday night opened with a prayer said by Alexander Noguerola, SGA executive President. He then proceeded to invite the new freshman officers to come forward and repeat their promises as new inductees. Chief Justice Steven Kibbe was inducted after the new freshman officers.

After their induction, Dr. Imhoff came forward to speak as the Dean of Clare College about issues that have been previously discussed by both the SGA and students on campus. He addressed concerns about the Clare College common core, stating that the reason it is so disliked by students is because of their lack of understanding and also the lack of communications between the professors who teach the common core courses. He has met with the professors previously to discuss their approaches to their courses, and will continue to meet with them until one approach can be taken to prevent disparities between sections. Imhoff also stated that, “even seniors cannot explain what Clare College is” and he believes this to be a problem as well. He is reaching out to the Student Government Association to help him inform students about what Clare College really is. He hopes once students understand what it is, they will have less complaints.

Rumors about Clare College disappearing are inaccurate; it is evolving, but only by allowing more courses to substitute for some Clare courses. When he posed the question “How many people like their Clare College Courses” to the room, about half the people present raised their hands.

After this discussion, Alex Noguerola stood in for an absent Aramark representative and described what they are doing to improve. Having previously met with someone in charge, Noguerola informed us that Aramark is working on adding variety to the music selection, possibly allowing the Buzz to DJ more frequently. They are trying to update the online menu and improve its accuracy. Additionally, they are bringing back specials from 2-4 and 8-10 and will start promoting them more. They will also start promoting their new seasonal items, such as hot cider, donuts, and apples with caramel dip. Getting into the dining hall without a student ID is also being discussed in the future.

Attendance at sporting events was discussed, and the SGA is looking for ways to improve student interest. Suggestions were to break up prizes into smaller amounts in order to give more things out to students. A shuttle to Buffalo and Rochester for games over breaks was suggested as well; a shuttle was also suggested for during the school year for those who live off campus. Dr. Paula Scraba suggested getting the alumni more involved.

The statistics of the March of Dimes were shared, describing the grants that were distributed. The women’s lacrosse team received a grant for $300, and both CAB and the women’s rugby team received $200 grants for their fundraising accomplishments.

There is discussion about bringing the New York Times back to campus digitally by either sending out digital copies or to get academic site access at the library.

It was revealed that the Board of Trustees made a donation for $50,000 to support on campus activities. Noguerola stated, “We are thrilled they were able to give us such a big donation.”

The meeting closed with a speaker commending the SGA on their accomplishments thus far, especially concerning the donation. There was a reception following for the new inductees.

SGA meeting: Members vote on constitutional changes

By Joe Pinter, @JPinter93

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (March 11) — Tonight’s agenda for the Student Government Association’s biweekly meeting consisted of a fairly large item: its constitution.

St. Bonaventure University’s SGA members voted on constitutional changes at the beginning of the meeting. Afterward, Psi Chi & Psych Club, College Republicans, Mock Trial, Philosophy Club, History Club and Bonacoustics all presented updates on their respective semesters.

Some of the biggest proposed changes:

*The entire SGA executive board can make appointments of cabinet members and university committees

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SGA recap

By Joe Pinter, @jpinter93

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (Sept. 10) – St. Bonaventure University’s Student Government Association meeting was kept short in its first week, focusing on the upcoming March of Dimes.

Audra Distefano, March of Dimes community director, announced that 18 campus clubs participated in the walk last year, and she hopes to again increase that number. She also spoke about what the March of Dimes has accomplished in the past. In the 1980s, the March of Dimes raised money that went directly to polio vaccine research.

“Even if you don’t have children, you have all been impacted by the March of Dimes through the polio vaccine.”

This year’s walk, which takes place on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 11 a.m., will be the March of Dimes’ 75^th anniversary.

Abby Harrington, SGA vice president, announced that the club that raises the most money will receive a $500 grant. $250 will come from SGA and $250 will come directly from Rick Trietley, vice president of Student Affairs.

Volunteers are welcomed at 7 a.m. Registration is at 9:30.

You can go to http://marchforbabies.org/ to register online.

Additionally, SGA would like to remind freshmen interested in running for class office that all forms must be in by Friday, Sept. 13. The election will run from Oct. 1-4 on my.sbu.edu.

SGA Meeting Discusses Campus Parking

By Joe Pinter, News Editor, @JPinter93

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (Jan. 22) –The extremely cold weather outside formed the perfect setting to a presentation on St. Bonaventure University’s parking problems.

At its biweekly meeting, the Student Government Association welcomed Vito Czyz, director of Safety and Security, to discuss what is wrong with the current parking spaces and how the university may try to address the problems in the future.

“Everybody wants to park close, especially on a night like tonight,” said Czyz.

However, the university’s parking design is not that bad compared to area schools, Czyz said. He studied the campuses of nearby schools such as Canisius College, Niagara University and St. John Fisher College and determined they have the same problems that Bonaventure has.

In the fall of 2011, 1,910 tickets were administered, while in the fall of 2012, 1,631 tickets were given out. Over the last two years, the average of tickets being reversed is 70%, said Czyz.

Czyz said Safety and Security counted the average number of available parking spots on campus at “peak time” to determine if the current parking system was adequate.

They found nearly 200 (faculty & student) spots on campus that were open during so-called “peak time.”

Public input is still valued, however.

“We did a parking survey last year,” said Czyz. “We asked people, from students to the administration, whether they knew where to park. The answers we got, whether they knew about parking policies…”

“Ninety percent of the students we surveyed said yes.”

Athletic events pose a whole different problem for the university.

For nearly every men’s basketball game, cars can be seen parked just about anywhere they can fit near the Reilly Center. This is not only illegal, but it also is a fire hazard, said Czyz.

“I’ll be the first to admit the game day parking is not ideal. However, men’s basketball games occur infrequently, relative to the rest of the year.”

Other sports such as baseball attract fans, but not nearly as many cars as for men’s basketball games. However, Czyz said Safety and Security does not give out parking tickets during the games.

All of this could be addressed with more parking spots, but 100 new spots would cost approximately $150,000. If lighting and signs were to be included, it would total $200,000, said Czyz.

An SGA member brought up the possibility of parking lots such as one outside Hopkins Hall and whether those could be used by students during the weekend.

Czyz said the university used to allow that until the Hopkins Hall faculty started to complain about the garbage left in the parking lot. Another SGA member seemed annoyed that the workers in Hopkins Hall had control over who uses their parking spots when they are left empty over the weekend.

More parking spots will be tied directly to increased enrollment, said Czyz. In the meantime, students will have to deal with minor parking adjustments.

After Czyz ended his presentation, SGA opened the floor to the presentations of campus clubs. The Bona Venture, SBU Intramurals, Campus Activities Board, WSBU-FM, Mert, and each class president explained what their respective club has planned for the coming semester.

Among the highlights:

*The Bona Venture announced that Mary Best is the new editor in chief, while Samantha Berkhead is the new managing editor. The BV is also planning a smartphone app that has all four campus media (The BV, The Intrepid, The Buzz and SBU-TV) on it.

*CAB is planning a bus trip to see the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers play in Cleveland. Bonaventure alumnus Andrew Nicholson plays for Orlando. The trip is April 7^th

*The senior class will be selling Bona Wolf iPhone cases starting Homecoming Weekend. The cases cost $10.

*Friday, Jan. 25 is Bona Pride Day. SGA is asking everyone to wear Bonaventure clothing.

pinterjo11@bonaventure.edu

SGA meeting recap, November 16, 2012

By Joe Pinter, News Editor, @JPinter93

ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. (Nov. 14) — While it may not be the holiday season quite yet, during the St. Bonaventure University Student Government Association’s biweekly meeting last night one may have realized the campus community is getting ready for it.

Bill Lynch from the Salvation Army started the meeting by giving a quick talk about the “Call for Red Kettle Volunteers.” The “Red Kettle Volunteers” are people who donate their time to ring the bell above to gather donations for the Salvation Army.

“It’s that time of year where we get a lot of our fundraising by ringing the bells at different locations; in Allegany, Olean Portville,” said Lynch. “There are Thanksgiving baskets as well as Christmas baskets. We would love to have you get involved.”

Lynch noted that in addition to being able to donate money at one of the red kettle sites, one can also donate online at www.onlineredkettle.org. All proceeds go right back into the local community in the form of financial support and services.

Donations are accepted right up until Christmas Eve, Lynch said.

The next item on the SGA agenda was Sr. Suzanne Kush, director of the Franciscan Center for Social Concern, who spoke about the St. Bonaventure University Presidential Challenge Campaign.

Last year, three Bonaventure representatives attended a workshop at the White House to understand exactly what the White House Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge was about. Sr. Margaret, university president, Br. Ed Coughlin, dean of the School of Franciscan Studies and interim director of the Franciscan Institute, and Lana Benatovich, trustee, all attended, said Sr. Suzanne.

“We have the full support of Sr. Margaret and the cabinet, as well as Lana who is very active and always asking questions about where the challenge is going,” she said. “She is a very supportive board member.”

Sr. Suzanne spoke about how when the Damietta Center was opened in 2006, it did not have anywhere near the support or programming that it now has.

One of the main goals of the Presidential Campus Challenge is to promote interfaith awareness and service and attempt to make a difference in how we view other religions.

The challenge is already underway. Intervarsity is a new club at Bonaventure that helps gather Protestants together. The campus also had a Muslim student association.

“Service is at the core of this university,” said Sr. Suzanne. “Because of SGA club’s services projects, we were able to help 10,000 individuals during the last epidemic year.”

The organization’s goals for the 2012-2013 academic year include:

*exploring ways of holding interfaith dialogue on campus

*increasing service opportunities with various cultural and faith groups

*improving the reflection process for both short-term and long-term service experiences

One of the biggest shortcomings of the group is the lack of a student committee to assist with these goals, said Sr. Suzanne.

A very brief overture of the ASGA Chicago Student Government Training Conference followed.

Six SGA members attended the conference. The main focus of the conference was to share with other schools how each individual organization is run.

Abby Harrington, SGA vice president, said after speaking with other school’s officers that SGA is considering, among others, moving the elections to November. This way, incoming officers can shadow current officers.

She also spoke about hosting either monthly or bi-monthly meetings with officers and the executive board about reorganizing the club’s finances.

Figuring out a way to get student attendance up was also discussed.

The floor was then opened to presentations. Pep Band, Psych Associates (Psi Chi & Psychology Club), College Republicans, Model United Nations and Mock Trial all shared what they have done so far and what they have planned for the future.

Afterwards, a sheet was passed around the room for to sign up for the constitutional review committee. This committee exists every two years and meets twice a month during the spring semester to vote on changes to the SGA constitution, said Robbie Chulick, SGA executive secretary.

The Angel Tree Gift Drive and the success of the Andrew Nicholson shirts were the last two items of discussion.

Next Monday or Tuesday, anyone can donate toys or cash for the gift drive. All the proceeds go to Olean Child Day Care.

The junior class announced that around 98 Nicholson shirts have been sold thus far. Sr. Margaret would like the students going on the bus to Toronto for the Orlando Magic game to wear the shirts in support of Nicholson.

The sale has been considered a huge success, making nearly $1,000. Shirts are still available in Reilly Center 208 or outside the ticket office during the basketball games. They will also be sold outside the bus this Sunday.

pinterjo11@bonaventure.edu