The LSU Student Senate unanimously passed Student Government Finance Bill No. 4 on Nov. 4, allocating $6,136.84 to purchase additional scantrons and blue books for the fall and spring final examination periods.
The legislation, written by senators Alex de Gravelle, Abishek Stanley and Lily LaGrange, pulls the money from SG’s initiative budget. De Gravelle said the initiatives account has not been used this semester and has about $23,000 of remaining funds.
“I think this is worth the money,” de Gravelle said during the meeting. “It is student fees going directly back to students as they see fit.”
Sixty percent of the funds will be used for the fall examination period, with the remaining funds dedicated to the spring semester. SG will buy two types of scantrons, large and small, and one type of bluebook.
De Gravelle said the Senate is not responsible for the purchase of scantrons available to students in the LSU Student Union, and those are usually purchased through the executive operating budget. The materials purchased with the Senate’s money will be held until the final examination periods.
“Demand has been very high this year with scantrons,” de Gravelle said. “Of course, it is not our responsibility to fund scantrons, but we got the idea that it’s what the students want.”
The money will provide 10,000 large scantrons, 5,000 small scantrons and 7,200 bluebooks, LaGrange said.
She said students rely on SG providing scantrons, adding no student should pay to take a test.
“This is one way we have that direct, positive impact on them,” LaGrange said. “I’m really passionate about this and think it’s very important.”
While speaking on the bill, Stanley said senators may have the high cost in the back of their minds, but the price is small compared to the satisfaction it could bring students.
He said some of the money would be funneled back into the university through the LSU Bookstore.
“There are really no harms to this,” Stanley said. “In fact, the benefits are pretty significant in the amount of satisfaction we can get from students.”
Blue books are purchased from the bookstore, and the large scantrons are bought from Himes Hall. The small scantrons are ordered online from Apperson, de Gravelle said.
Senator Jacob Phagan spoke on behalf of the budget and appropriations committee, which referred the bill favorably before it moved to the Senate floor. He said several people questioned the bill, but there was little negative feedback.
Phagan said he was originally against the bill but changed his stance after hearing the authors present their information.
“At first, I was not for this, seeing as we already have operating budget scantrons,” Phagan said. “But as the three senators pointed out, it’s really good. Just to focus on finals week is a good idea.”