Student Government will host a costly banquet Thursday night to show its appreciation to the outgoing executive officers.
Marcie Maxwell, outgoing executive chief of staff, said the almost $3,000 banquet at the Lod Cook Alumni Center will honor outgoing president and vice-president Darrell Broussard and Mark Higgins.
The finances for the banquet come from the SG budget and specifically the president’s contingency fund, said Dean of Students Kevin Price. Student fees support the SG budget.
The executive contingency is usually just under $9,000 and is meant to be spent by the president on travel and other worthy purposes, according to past budget bills approved by the Student Senate.
The money allotted for the banquet will go toward invitations, security, room rental, awards and food, said SG adviser Meaghan Miller.
Maxwell and Miller said food is the largest cost for the event. Lod Cook requires tenants to use their own caterer, Unique Cuisine, so SG will not be able to use Chartwells, a less expensive caterer.
The overall cost of the event will depend on how many of the invited guests actually attend, Miller said.
About 120 of the 200 students and administrators who received invitations have responded to say they will attend.
Maxwell, who is the executive officer in charge of the event, said the guest list includes all members of the executive staff, current student senators, SG advisors, several administrators who frequently work with SG and other student leaders who have worked closely with SG during the administration.
The top five executive officers, advisers and administrators are each allowed to invite guests for a charge of $15 a head.
“It’s not like we have unlimited funds,” Maxwell said. “We’re just trying to include all the people who we worked with this year.”
The banquet is a long-standing tradition in SG held to review the administration’s accomplishments and allow the executive officers to thank the people who worked with them, Maxwell said.