Election Day for ASUI is on Monday, Dec. 8, at 8 a.m. through student email, where multiple senators are running for re-election.
At the ASUI senate meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 3, the University of Idaho colligate chapter of the National Association of Music Education spoke during the public forum about not yet receiving the $500 allocated to them by F25-B03, which was passed at a prior meeting on Oct. 29.
“The bill was passed on Oct. 29 and the funds expire on Dec. 19. We still have not been able to access them. I wanted to come and ask if the senate has really created provisions for accessing the funds that you guys pass,” UI NAfME President Justin Alder said.
ASUI Vice President Bryant Sitts said that club funding had always been a reimbursement process, all that had changed was the increased visibility of each funding request being discussed on the senate floor.
“The process sucks, to be honest. We can’t issue money to private accounts, so clubs have to develop bank accounts. They have to get their own EINS, but that process is incredibly difficult and out of the university’s control,” ASUI advisor Brandon Brackett said.
According to Brackett, a system was proposed last year that all clubs would be given index numbers within the university’s banking system so that clubs would no longer need individual bank accounts. This would simplify the process and speed up the transfer times.
Brackett said, however, that the implementation was not successful, as a key partner did not want to or did not have the ability to create the index numbers. He also talked about continuing to work on this process over the summer.
Sen. Logan Romans said he was concerned about the implementation date of a funding bill for the Native American Student Association, introduced at the last ASUI meeting, requesting $500 to replenish funds for the annual powwow held April 4, 2025.
Sitts said that ASUI President Seyi Arogundade and himself would plan to have a conversation with the club to move the implementation date backwards, according to the needs of the club. The bill was passed.
President of the UI Photography Club, Theo Shultz, spoke during public forum about his club’s funding bill, F25-B20, which was introduced at Wednesday’s meeting.
“We actually started last October, and we have quickly grown to become one of the largest clubs on campus with 106 registered members. To kind of give more context to this funding, we are applying for 501(c)(3) status, which is a $600 fee, we have been buying merch for the club and paying out of pocket for gas money,” Shultz said.
During discussion of the bill, Sen. Zach Knapp was concerned about the impact of the 501(c)(3) status, which is to exempt the club from federal income taxes, and make them eligible for tax deductible donations from donors.
Shultz said this status would also allow for the club to create a bank account to hold the money they received from ASUI and other outlets. This bill was sent to the Finance Committee for further consideration.
During presidential communications, Arogundade mentioned an upcoming concert by the band Shipwrek happening on Dec. 6, at 8 p.m., in the International Ballroom of the Pitman Center. This event was planned by ASUI in collaboration with DuckClub Entertainment, and tickets can be purchased online.
Bill F25-B18 was passed, giving $700 to the Iranian Student Club.
“The events that this bill will help sponsor allows the people of Iranian decent in those communities to have a place to celebrate. These events are not used to fundraise for the rest of the year; they are held for the community to have fun,” said Romans, sponsor of the bill.
There are about 50 people of Iranian descent inside of Moscow, and around 200 in Pullman, according to Romans.
Bill F25-B19 for the Real World Politics club was introduced, requesting $500. Sponsor of the bill, Sen. Frances Camilli, was not in attendance for the meeting,
“It’s clear that [Camilli] cares a lot about this club and the people who run it, and I think it does offer a great opportunity for people to express themselves politically in a non-divisive matter,” Romans said.
The bill was sent to the Finance Committee for deliberation.
Bill F25-B22 was introduced from the UI Barker Trading Club, requesting $150 for a gingerbread building activity. Sen. Gunner Cavender, sponsor of the bill, said, “It’s a good bill for a good purpose.”
Bill F25-B23 for Movimiento Activsta Social, sponsored by Sen. Andrea Leal, was passed. The bill reimburses $500 for event service fees for El Color, an event the club hosted on Oct. 18.
“This will cover the projector costs, tabling costs and [costs] for the people who helped run the event,” said Alexa Benitez, president of MAS.
Bill F25-B21 for the International Students Organization was introduced, asking for $250 to reimburse the Thanksgiving dinner the organization held during the fall break. This bill was passed to the Finance Committee for further discussion.
ASUI will be holding its last meeting of the semester next week in the ASUI Vandal Lounge, on the first floor of the ISUB at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 10. Meetings are open to the public.
Josie Adjanohoun can be reached at [email protected].