I really hope they’re not offering penguin at this gala…

GS has its ups and downs. But nobody can deny that their parties and celebrations are anything less than awesome. Student government expert Joe Milholland tells where the GS gala will be and what it will be like.

On Tuesday night, the General Studies Student Council (GSSC) voted in their general body meeting to hold their annual gala in the spring at Cipriani, an event space on 42^nd street recommended by the Campus Life Committee.

The council made the decision to choose Cipriani rather than Pier Sixty, an event space that had previously held a GS gala, after a presentation on the two spaces by Social Chair Kim Rebetti. The council noted that Cipriani holds several advantages over Pier Sixty: the DJ fee and coat check is included in its cost, it is available on Saturdays, and the high-quality of the area means the council would not have to spend as much time decorating it. Cipriani also features a buffet-style arrangement with food from all seven continents, including Antarctica.

Cipriani costs $110,000, whereas Pier Sixty costs $102,850 with fees. The high cost of Cipriani means GSSC will have to charge $75 for tickets (last gala, they charged $80 with a $10 off coupon available through reading GSSC e-mails, and the raise in ticket price would likely have occurred if they chose Pier Sixty).

As well as deciding on their Gala venue, GSSC also heard some requests for funding. A representative from Korean International General Studies (KIGS) asked for $700 dollars in funding for their end of the semester party, where tickets would cost $20 for free food and alcohol. Their funding request included $500 for an event space outside campus, a request GSSC balked at. After some discussion, GSSC President Elizabeth Heyman said the council would deliver their concerns about the request by KIGS via e-mail and then vote on the proposal some time this week.

A representative from MilVets asked for $1,000 to cover travel expenses to a Student Veterans of America (SVA) conference held in Orlando. According to the rep, MilVets of Columbia was one of SVA’s first ten organizations, and the information gained at the event could go to pushing for a CPS professional trained in dealing with combat stress. The wants $11,000 for the trip, and they already received a little over $2,000 from JCCC. They are also looking for funding from ABC and SGB. Several council members were interested in paying MilVets even more than they requested from GSSC, but a proposal to give them $1,500 failed to gain a majority. GSSC did, however, approve them the $1,000.

The council also funded $22,749.37 for its senior cruise contract.

Updates:

• According to Heyman, 229 students have donated 702 meals to EMF. In addition, 15 Columbia College, 12 SEAS, and 52 GS students have made use of EMF so far.
• Heyman, CCSC Inclusion and Equity Rep Ewoma Ogbaudu, and CCSC VP of Policy Vivek Ramakrishnan came up with all the food insecurity resources on campus and put them into an infographic designed by Columbia College junior Rana Irmak Asoy. The infographic is available here.