Outdoor basketball court, fraternity reimbursement approved

By: Meredith Whelchel – Managing Editor

The University of Dayton Student Government Association continued to hear special requests to support campus organizations with their estimated $25,000 left for the year.

Delta Sigma Pi, a professional business fraternity, initially requested $4,281.13 from SGA to reimburse a professional trip 32 brothers recently took to Chicago. Keith Conway, a senior marketing major and fraternity president, said the group already received $640 from SGA during budget month, but said the cost of the professional development trip would largely impact their budget without SGA’s support.

Conway said the 32 attending brothers met with four companies and several alumni during the trip, and three members were offered internships. He also said WMS Gaming expressed interest in coming to UD in the future to recruit. WMS Gaming specializes in producing electronic and digital gaming entertainment and gaming machines, according to their website.

With 18 voting Senate members present, SGA approved $400 to the fraternity, which represents about 2 percent of the remaining special request budget.

SGA also approved support for an outdoor basketball court, an issue presented by senior mechanical engineering major Pat Levy. He said the court would provide students with a sober activity, an option to pursue a healthy lifestyle and the opportunity to meet more people. Levy said the location of the court is still being finalized, but it could be built next to the RecPlex or on a green space near ArtStreet and the McGinnis Center. He said he will be working with Campus Recreation to finalize details.

SGA also supported a request to open the UD health center on weekends, during which it is usually closed.

A majority of 10 voting Senate members was needed for approval.

The weekly meeting also paused briefly during a tornado warning issued Sunday night for Montgomery County.

SGA weekly meetings are open to the public Sundays at 6 p.m. in the Kennedy Union Ballroom.