Sam Houston State University’s Student Government Association allocated $1,000 to SHSU’s NAACP on Tuesday evening.

After also receiving money from the Campus Life Development Fund, the NAACP requested money from SGA in order to cover the remaining costs of food and lodging for the organization’s brotherhood and sisterhood leadership conference Feb. 7.

“This conference is meant for students to walk away with the tools they need for success in and out of college,” NAACP representative Jailyn Bankston said during her presentation. “Pretty much anything you can think of that has to do with professionalism, networking or anything like that, we have at the conference.”

After discussion among the senate, the motion passed unanimously.
Senator Clayton Ellis said he likes to see money given back to organizations around campus, thus benefitting the student body as a whole.

“When we see an opportunity to help people, generally, we do,” said Ellis.

According to Student Body President Spencer Copeland, this is the first time SGA has allocated this large of an amount to another organization.

“I’ve never seen us give money to organizations in the past like this unless we’re partnering [with them],” Copeland said. “We wanted to show outreach organizations and it’ll help shine a light on SGA. It not only helps bring SGA awareness, it brings Sam awareness [and] it helps organizations.”

Copeland also said that an allocation this size could potentially happen again.

“It would really depend on what’s going on and who is coming, but there is a possibility we could do this in the future,” Copeland said. “It just depends on what, where and who.”