SGA allocates more than $936,000
Eddie Rybarski
Issue date: 3/29/06 Section: News
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SGA voted on the allocations that were agreed upon by the 10 students and three faculty members who make up the Council on Student Activities Fund and members of CSAF were confident the allocations were necessary.
"Last year we gave a 0.0 percent increase so this year we were able to make up for that," said CSAF Chair John P. Walcher. "I think anyone who asked for an increase received some kind of increase."
Of the 58 organizations given money, three increases were significantly larger than last year's budget were given to University Union Board, Black Student Association and House Arrest II. UUB received $185,450 (an increase of $43,950), BSA received $40,886 (an increase of $15,686), and House Arrest II received $4,400 (an increase of $3,900).
Walcher was able to justify the increase for the students who questioned such raises."BSA wants to be the forerunner (for a Homecoming program with an African-American performer) without a co-sponsor and be able to put that on for all students," Walcher said. "UUB is trying to bring in bigger names and put more shows on as well as deal with increased performance costs."
CSAF Vice Chair Ari Briskman also eased the concerns of senators with further reassurance the allocations were appropriate.
"Each expenditure was determined under very close scrutiny the entire time (of review), so I encourage you to pass this bill," Briskman said.
After a general discussion of the allocations, the bill was passed without much deliberation.
Another piece of legislation did not pass as easily, however. A bylaw amendment would specify the Appointments Committee with the power to request reports from members of organization committees they appoint was argued. Senators questioned the amount of responsibility the Appointments Committee should take for its appointed member, and whether the bylaw would make it easier for the Appointments Committee or only create a burden.
Some senators worried the amendment would make the Appointments Committee too involved with committees they appoint people to, but do not oversee.
"If they choose to give a report then they can, but we can not make them responsible to come in and report to us," said Briskman. "It's trying to micro-manage counsels that are not ours to micro-manage."
SGA members decided they would like to know the goings-on of other committees if the Appointments Committee so requests, and the bill narrowly passed the 2/3 of senate vote it required 20-7-0.
"Now (the report) is at the request of the Appointments Committee and they can give it to the Senate," said the bylaw's co-sponsor Sam Pfister.
Another important topic discussed at the meeting was the upcoming SGA elections to be held April 3-6 on STARS. Although all positions except one senator at large seat are running unopposed. Adviser Dan Maxwell encouraged voting.
"There is no reason that next week there should be a low voter turnout," said Maxwell. "Please do something between now and Monday to get people out and vote."
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