Student Government Association (SGA) members passed two funding bills and prepared discussion points for their upcoming dinner with University President Ronald J. Daniels at their weekly meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 13. They also endorsed a letter from the graduate student organization Teachers and Researchers United (TRU) that responded to the University’s decision not to revoke its contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
During the meeting, TRU member Conor Bean discussed the organization’s continued efforts to oppose the JHU-ICE contract. In October, Daniels and Provost Sunil Kumar sent an email stating that the University would not end the contract. TRU recently released their response to this letter and called on SGA to endorse their response.
Bean explained that TRU continues to oppose the contract. He also said that he believes the contract, which funds leadership and management courses for federal agents, should not be permitted under the guise of academic freedom.
Next, junior Edo Ighodaro, a former SGA senator, asked for $1000 for funding for the Second Annual African Fashion Show.
Ighodaro explained that the fashion show is entertaining for students and also raises money for charity. The charity that the show is supporting this year is called Solar Sister, which helps women start clean energy businesses in Africa.
SGA decided to fund the fashion show for $1000.
Junior Maya Foster, another former SGA senator, presented the next bill. She requested $900 to fund the Culture Show, an event hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) which brings together different multicultural student groups on campus for a night of food, performances, trivia and other activities.
“We have all these student groups participating,” Foster said. “We want them to have no issue with whatever type of thing they want to do.”
Several SGA members, such as Sophomore Class President Sam Schatmeyer, took issue with the fact that many of the details of the event were unclear and they were unsure what exactly they would be funding.
“In terms of the actual language of this funding bill, it’s a little sparse,” Schatmeyer said. “We all need to know a little bit more about the event before we commit to $900 especially at this point in the semester.”
Junior Class Senator Miranda Bannister, however, supported the bill.
“We pass a lot of bills that are incredibly ambiguous, and I don’t know why the objection is arising with this particular bill,” she said.
Ultimately, SGA chose to reduce their funding of the bill and to continue to work with Foster and with OMA to make sure all costs for the event are met.
Finally, SGA members practiced the presentations they would give to Daniels and other University administrators at their upcoming dinner.
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