Student Government held three Zoom meetings this summer, largely focused on student activities, budget approvals and organizational changes. The organization is entering the 2025-26 academic year with four vacancies in its general body.
The first meeting took place on June 27 and included two presentations. Lafayette Activities Forum President Elizabeth Miller ’26 presented an outline for First Fest, a first-year festival held during orientation. The group discussed greater Student Government funding and collaboration with Lafayette Activities Forum for the event, which the former organization currently funds.
Student Involvement staffer Melissa Dalrymple then presented the Student Involvement budget for this academic year, part of an ongoing effort to formalize the budget-making process. Student Government voted to maintain the current student activity fee — the tuition portion that directly funds student organizations — at $360 per year in an executive session vote.
The financial guidelines ad hoc committee, created to develop clearer rules for distributing funds to Student Government committees, was dissolved in a 9-7 vote with one abstention, months after the revision of financial guidelines. Members also voted to retain the dining ad hoc committee after a 5-10 vote for its dissolution, with two abstentions.
The organization then moved on to discussing an increase from $8,000 to $10,000 in funding to the Pard Pantry, which was approved unanimously.
Budget approvals for student organizations were made in executive session to conclude the June meeting. Clubs were shown their fall semester budget by July 1, according to Student Government’s new budget guidelines.
The second meeting of the summer on July 17 began with representative Milan Iezzi ’28 discussing a delegate system where members of Student Government serve as liaisons to specific student organizations. The group then voted to approve a pilot system for the fall semester, with the goal of fully implementing the system in the 2026-27 academic year.
Continuing the previous meeting’s discussion of First Fest, members discussed potential activities to fund in looking to brand the event with more Student Government advertising.
President Alex Brown ’26 also asked the attendants to reach out with any ideas about reserved account usage on equipment purchases, followed by Vice President Sasha Carter ’27 reminding the group about existing vacancies in the organization as well as openings on faculty committees.
The meeting concluded with an executive session to deliberate on budget approvals in secret.
The final meeting on Aug. 14 began with updates on First Fest, with Carter confirming the event would have glow-in-the-dark games, including cornhole and Spikeball nets featuring LED-lit hoops.
Carter again addressed vacancies and reminded the organization about nominations sent out to potential applicants in the past week, in hopes of empowering students to apply for positions.
Brown addressed newer members, looking for feedback on the interview process to help prepare for the incoming round of applicants. Applications for the organization’s four open general body positions — three in the Class of 2027 and one in the Class of 2026 — close on Saturday.
Parliamentarian Bryan Kibet ’27 then discussed the constitutional rewrite committee, in line with the mandatory reevaluation of Student Government’s policies and bylaws every three years. Kibet asked more people to join the committee.
The meeting ended with an open session in which Allison Williams, the associate director of student involvement and advisor for the organization, asked for clarity regarding some clubs that had not been approved certain funds but had begun putting in work orders.
A correction was made on Oct. 23, 2025. A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Student Government has mandatory rewrites of its policies and bylaws every three years. Student Government has a mandatory evaluation of its policies and bylaws every three years.
