SPRING FLING SET FOR APRIL 27: PSSS ROUND-UP 3/4/24
James Kelly
He/Him
Managing Editor
3/5/24
The Plymouth State Student Senate marched forth in a March 4th meeting without new business.
Advisor Melina Baker-Murphy announced that the Plymouth Activities Council for Students (PACS) will host Spring Fling on April 27th. Student Body President Devonte Gilmore is developing a survey for the HUB gym expansion, which will relocate the mail center. There is no apparent plan for the mail center’s new location yet.
Treasurer Erin Johnston encouraged PSSS class councils to spend their money. PSSS allocated the freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes $2,000, $4,000, $6,000, and $40,000, respectively. The senior class will spend their money on Senior Week. Gilmore suggested class councils without plans for their funds purchase t-shirts and stickers. Common Ground President Andi Tisdell plugged Earth Jam, which class councils can sponsor.
If class council funds are not spent, they will be added to reserves, which have strict limitations. “In practice, we are unable to access reserves,” Loughlin said. It is unclear what the exact limitations on reserve access are, but reserves are generally “used for emergencies and unforeseen expenses,” according to Johnston. “Using the funds requires a lot of paperwork and it goes through the approval of the school’s financial board.”
Reserves helped cover the cost of Ski Day last year, according to Gilmore.
Class of 2027 Treasurer Skylar Hammes spoke on behalf of constituents who have not yet received prizes from the “Plymouth Ultimate Jackpot” in December. Baker-Murphy said she is still waiting on two MacBook Pros, which were flagged by USNH procurement as large purchases. Procurement “stopped communicating” with her, but the laptops are on their way.
The University Police Department is concerned people are abusing their SAFE RIDE service, Rosenberg said. Safe rides are available to all students when shuttles are not running, according to UPD. Still, UPD is worried SAFE RIDE is turning into “a glorified Uber service” for people leaving the bar, Rosenberg said.
“What are the animosities towards providing those services to students?” Gilmore asked. “My concern is not with people using it to get back from the bar,” he said. “I think that’s a better option than if you’re drunk and stumble into the street and get hit by a car.”
PSSS meets on Mondays at 7:00 pm in the HUB Student Senate Room. Their meetings are also live-streamed on Zoom.
I agree with Gilmore. The universities safe ride program is made for ANY student needing to SAFELY get back to campus. I’d rather the service be used a million times by drunk students getting home safely, than one student be seriously injured by trying to get home drunk and not using the program.