For the past several weeks, the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has debated whether or not campus organizations have to show up in-person to defend funding requests in excess of $1,000. The requirement was eventually not instituted.
Right before Thanksgiving break, the Senate unanimously approved seven expenditures, all in excess of $1,000. Each request was approved unanimously at their meeting on Sunday, Nov. 12.
First, the USG Senate discussed and subsequently approved Projects Board funding for five different campus organizations. Funding requests included: the Ballroom Dancing Club hosting a competition, Princeton University Energy Association organizing a conference, Princeton Science Olympiad’s regional tournament, a “first-year feast” hosted by the Princeton African Students Association, and Thanksgiving dinner by the Society of African Internationals.
The two other unanimously approved projects were USG-sponsored trips to New York City. U-Councilor Genevieve Shutt ’26 provided a presentation for a USG-sponsored trip to New York for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. U-Councilor Aishwarya Swamidurai ’26 and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Chair Uma Fox ’26 presented a separate USG-sponsored trip to New York City that would provide students the freedom to explore the city, with options for sponsored food and tickets to the skating rink at Bryant Park.
The trips come months after the USG voted to request a raise in the student activity fee, substantially increasing the budget for student events, and possibly making expensive trips like those to New York more possible.
A couple of other social events were also brainstormed. USG Social Chair Avi Attar ’25 then presented updates on the preparations for the Dean’s Date celebration. According to Attar, there will be free coffee and bagels available in the morning and a larger series of events at 5 p.m. on Dec. 15. There will also be food trucks, free Dean’s Date-themed mugs and tote bags, and more activities for students that Attar said are still being decided.
At the end of their meeting, USG discussed potential events for reading period. As of now, USG has considered a permanent jewelry event and a petting zoo in addition to providing funding to events planned by other groups.
The plans come ahead of a USG presidential election that is expected to be competitive. Attar and USG Senator Braiden Aaronson ’25 are widely expected to be the USG presidential candidates.
USG meets every Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m. at 219 Aaron Burr Hall, and meetings are open for all students to attend.
Nandini Krishnan is a staff News writer for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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