Student Government President Taylor Cox announced the institution of the Student Life Emergency Fund through a partnership with the LSU Family Association to aid students experiencing unfortunate circumstances.
Through this fund, Cox said students will be able to apply for a $1,000 scholarship and will not have to reimburse the University. The LSU Family Association is funding the program while SG promotes it to students.
“It’s a 24-hour turnaround, so once they fill out the application [and] send it in, we will have the money for them in 24 hours if it is approved,” Cox said at Wednesday’s Senate meeting.
The University already does this program for faculty and staff, giving them “sick days” when they need to be out of work while continuing to be paid.
Cox said students will have to prove they actually experienced an emergency situation by providing a “burden of proof.”
“Let’s say it was your house that burned down. A piece of mail or something that has your address on it, and you need to take a picture of your house that’s burned down, and that is our burden of proof,” he said.
Cox also plans to add another service to the fund by running a campaign next year where students can donate a certain percentage of their meal plans to be distributed to students in need.
The Senate also passed a finance bill to give the Greek Board of Directors a maximum of $4,000 to fund its EMPOWER Leadership Program.
EMPOWER, a weekend-long off-campus retreat for more than 144 Greek students, is a program meant to “provide a leadership development opportunity for students,” said mass communication senior Sarah Lichterman, president of the Greek Board of Directors.
“The $4,000 that we are asking for specifically will go to our keynote speaker, Dr. Lori Hart,” she said.
Hart’s speech will focus on her leadership experience and is used in the program’s curriculum throughout the weekend, Lichterman said.
Biological sciences junior and College of Basic Sciences Senator Trey Schwartzenburg asked if the Greek Board of Directors, also known as GBOD, would request money from Senate every year.
Lichterman said yes, telling SG that GBOD is “relying on Student Government” right now, but expects GBOD to be able to fully fund EMPOWER on its own in the next five years.
“We’ve been actively – for the past three weeks – going to different companies, but it’s our first time going out and trying to get sponsorships for EMPOWER,” she said.
De Andre’ Beadle, political science and sociology junior, reminded senators it was GBOD asking for assistance and not Greek Life.
“As this program is growing, they need funding and it’s just an opportunity for them to come to Senate,” Beadle, who serves as chair of the SG Budget and Appropriations Committee, said. “Of course, we’re not going to be their welfare … [but] I think with time we won’t have to see this organization, but only hear about their continuance of greatness.”
Speaker of the Senate Meredith Westbrook said Senate’s Contingency Fund was $25,500 before the allocation of the $4,000.
