SAB Discusses Various Fundings on Campus

Editor-in-Chief

   The Student Activities Board discussed funding an educational opportunity and heard about a new organization  Jan. 26.

   Robert Stark, professor of agricultural economics, asked for $200 to help them fund a policy education trip to Washington D.C. March 2-5 for the University of Arkansas-Monticello Collegiate Farm Bureau president.  

  Stark told the SAB the state Farm Bureau organization will be paying $650 of the $1,300 needed to attend. He talked about how Kelly Bryant in the Agriculture Department donated $100, the Collegiate Farm Bureau at UAM will be adding $100 and the Drew County Farm Bureau will be making a donation as well. Stark said $200 from the SAB should put them within range of having all the funds needed.

   The $1,300 will pay for food, lodging and some meals, but Stark said he wanted to raise more so all of the meals would be covered.

   If he attended Collegiate Farm Bureau President Shelby Williams will be able to meet with Sen. Blanche Lincoln and all of the four representatives from the state of Arkansas, Administration from the Environmental Protection Agency and to visit the Cubans Representatives office.

   Ronald Forte, SAB board member and SGA vice president, asked how Williams receiving the money would help the student body.

   Williams explained he would be taking notes while on the trip and give a small presentation on the meetings in the Agriculture building for the whole school when he returns.

   Williams said the trip will impact him personally by just meeting new people and having possible career opportunities for the future in Farm Bureau or with anyone he might meet there.

   ”I think that this is a wonderful opportunity for him,” Zack Tucker, SAB board member said.  “I know with the stuff I’ve been involved in it’s an awesome opportunity to go to a place where you can meet more students or professionals in a discipline he plans on practicing, but I really think it’s a good opportunity. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for him to represent the University.”

   Tucker said one of the things he was hesitant if the Student Activities Board could actually give him the money for this specific reason.   He said the way the bylaws are written, they will have to go back and look specifically at them and if its an organization, they could donate the money to the organization. 

   The SAB decided to table the decision until the next meeting Feb. 9. 

   Tim Whitney, president of the Paint Ball Club, did not want money, but introduced the Paint Ball Club to the SAB. He said the club plans to play different college teams around the state of Arkansas including teams at Ouachita Baptist University and Arkansas State University. They will be competing in regional tournaments and hopefully the National Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

   Whitney said they are having fundraisers to raise funds.

   “Like I said, we are not asking for money right now, because we are trying to do it on our own,” Whitney said. “I just wanted to say we are here.”

   Whitney said he talked with Mindy Holcomb, director of Student Activities, about having a paint ball tournament during Greek Week. The Paint Ball Club will be helping the P.E. Club with a paint ball tournament sometime in the future.

   The Paint Ball Club will only hold meetings off campus. They cannot bring their markers on campus and can’t shoot on campus. Tournaments will have to be held at Nick’s Paint Ball at Rye.

   Zack Tucker, SAB Board Member, suggested the organizations write a blurb for the next “potTy talk,” a campus activity news letter published by the Student Government Association vice president and the SAB chairperson. 

   Caleb Burger, of the Creativity Society talked with the SAB about dates for Mocha Madness. He said he talked with Gary Marshall, professor of Speech, about having the date April 8. He offered Mocha Madness as another event for Spring Fling. Holcomb suggested April 15 as a possible date for the event to be held during Spring Fling. 

   Tucker instructed Burger to fill out proposal forms, give an itemized list of what they will need, put down what they will be able to cover and present the information at the next meeting. 

   Burger said the gifts this year will be handcrafted  and $130 went strictly to the performers last year.

   Holcomb introduced the idea of “Heart and Soul” to the members after saying she already clicked send by accident on an e-mail announcing it. She said Steven Kerr suggested doing an event together with Student Programs and Activities and Aramark would provide the food for free. In return, the prizes would be declining balance cards in the amounts of $25, $50 and $75. 

   Kerr would cook ribs and sides to go with it. Student Programs and Activities would have performers, who could sing and dance, having a performance like the Apollo. She said Steve Davis liked the idea and volunteered to bring a Shepard hook to pull performers off the stage.

   Holcomb described the event being very low cost.

   “The only thing we would have to put into is the $25, $50 and $75 gift cards.” She said.

   Holcomb asked the SAB about giving out the remaining T-shirts at the basketball games. They decided to give out the rest of the T-shirts.

    Forte said he would like to have a speaker for Black History Month. Zack Tucker suggested he get the information about the speaker and to present numbers at the next meeting. He also suggested replacing the Patio Sports Café’s broken pool stick. He will check prices for the pool sticks. Burger suggested buying in bulk off eBay.

   SAB Chairperson Yvonne Hinshaw said they lost several board members and SGA President Sandy Herring will have to appoint two members from Senate. Hinshaw suggested Burger.

   Holcomb said she spoke with the corporate office for Malco Theaters concerning tickets purchased by the SAB for a contest. Contest winners had trouble using the tickets. Corporate for Malco Theaters said the movie passes should still be good for matinees and any movie that has been released for a length of time. They are not good for only newly released movies.

   Holcomb announced the numbers for Welcome Week with the Free Movie night having 300 in attendance, 100 for bowling and 175-200 people attending the Wild Feast Cookout.

   “I know the numbers went down (for the bowling), but for the people who went I didn’t hear a negative thing about doing it during that time because people come through to bowl, leave and come back. It wasn’t as packed,” Tucker said.

   Forte described the event as a change of crowd and Holcomb said it was nice people got to bowl as much as they wanted to and every lane was filled.

   Events for the Month of February include:

•    The Missionary Baptist Student Fellowship’s Valentine's Dinner and Movie will be held Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. to help raise money to send to relief to Haiti.
•    The MBSF will hold a Super Bowl Party Feb. 7.
•     International Week will be Feb. 15-19.
•     Culture Day to be held in the Capitol Room Feb. 17.
•    Alpha Phi Alpha will be hosting a guest speaker for Black History Month in the Fine Arts Center Feb. 25.
•     Clearly You Crystals will be on campus for six hours Feb. 1.

The article was edited with the correct name, Robert Stark, professor of agricultural economics, which previously read Robert Sparks.

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