Subsidies reallocated for Union Show Techs and Student Senate

On Thursday, the Union Executive Board passed subsidy reallocations for the Union Show Techs and the Student Senate. A motion to merge the UPAC lights reserve and the UPAC sound reserve was also approved.

As Grand Marshal Week approaches, the Student Senate has decided to use Simply Voting, a web-based voting system, to facilitate votes for the junior class. Due to the Arch away semester, all juniors will vote online. The Senate planned to reallocate $1,000 from the Crossgates shuttle fund, which was used to transport students to Crossgates Mall and is currently inactive due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to purchase the Simply Voting software for one election. The motion passed 12-0-1, with Abigail Golden ’24 abstaining.

The Union Show Techs is an organization that provides lighting and sound support for campus events. To improve their services, the Show Techs wished to purchase a new wireless DMX system and lighting board for $34,434. The club will cover most of the cost using money reallocated from their reserves, but requested an additional subsidy of $1,454 from the Union to make up the remainder.

During the presentation, club members Anthony Dimeck ’26 and Scott Visser ’25 explained that the wireless DMX system will limit floor hazards from cables and streamline the setup process. DMX stands for “Digital Multiplex,” a common protocol for controlling lighting systems. Likewise, the new lighting board will extend the number of lights that can be used during a show. Show Techs claimed both systems were expected to last 15 to 20 years without replacement. The motion passed 13-0-0.

In 2019, UPAC Lights and Sound combined into a single organization known as the Union Show Techs. However, the reserves for UPAC Lights and Sound remained separate. The Show Techs’ second motion proposed to merge the UPAC lights reserve and UPAC sound reserve into a single Union Show Techs reserve, which would allow the organization to make purchases without drawing money from multiple sources pending approval by the financial division. The motion also passed 13-0-0.