At its first Wednesday meeting since the successful conclusion of first-year elections, Duke Student Government passed new budgetary statutes as well as prepared for newly elected senators and a new student wellness caucus.
Two new budgetary statutes were passed for organizations registered after the March 1 deadline. These included Duke Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, a branch of an international nonprofit focusing on advocacy for space exploration, and Duke Roundnet, a campus spikeball club.
“We’re trying to be super helpful to groups, and make sure they know all routes,” said junior Drew Flanagan, chair of the Student Organization Finance Committee.
DukeSEDS was granted $50 for national dues, while Duke Roundnet was allocated $335 for four spikeball pro-kits.
Junior Hana Hendi, vice president of DSG’s Services & Sustainability Committee, directed the first reading of the new student wellness caucus’s by-laws.
The new caucus, the result of a merger between the student wellness advisory committee and mental health caucus, is meant to prioritize awareness of holistic well-being on campus as well as foster communication between the student body, DSG, and campus wellness organizations such as Duke Student Health, Counseling and Psychological Services, DukeReach, DuWell and the Women’s Center.
First-year elections went smoothly last week, and the introductory training course for new senators, aptly named DSG 101, begins Sept. 22.
In other business
SOFC also led the recognition, chartering and status changes of several campus organizations.
Senators recognized From Houses to Homes, a new nationally recognized nonprofit organization on campus that builds homes for people in and around Guatemala in an effort to combat the cycle of poverty in underprivileged communities.
After previous discussions concerning the potential overlap between Duke Grassroots and Duke Climate Coalition, senators also voted to recognize Duke Grassroots. The organization is meant to promote public service and local grassroots opportunities in Durham.
DSG chartered The Coop, a literary magazine on campus focusing on voices of female-identifying students.
Senators also approved a status change for Duke Motorsports, changing the organization from recognized to chartered status.
Senators confirmed junior Hannah Long as SOFC co-executive vice chair, junior Mounika Adepu as SOFC vice chair of analytics and auditing and junior Anna Ajmani as SOFC senior advisor.
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Audrey Wang is a Trinity junior and editor-in-chief of The Chronicle's 119th volume.