Finances led most of the discussion during the Student Government Association meeting last night.
During the open forum, a presentation was given on the 2001 allocation process for student organization funding. In addition, the reconsidered bill to publish the SGA internal budget did not pass.
Other news included a presentation by Kathy Day, director of Career Services Center. Also, in new business, a resolution to thank faculty for their support with the “iVote” Elections passed.
Financial Vice President Dane Salazar led the presentation on the 2001 allocation process of chartered student organizations.
The first annual funding meeting will be April 11. Salazar invited senators to bring their sleeping bag and pajamas as this meeting usually lasts several hours. At this meeting, the financial committee will submit what they think each organization should be allotted. At this time, the groups can be “pulled” for discussion for three reasons: simple questions, a reason to increase the funds and a reason to decrease the funds.
The second meeting will take place the following week, April 17. The groups will be presented by a “fair lottery,” according to Salazar, with the organizations in a random order.
Salazar was pleased to announce that there will be adequate funds to distribute as the referendum to raise the student activity fee passed. “With this annual funding, the pot will be much larger,” Salazar said as the senate applauded.
The bill to publish the SGA internal budget made its appearance at a third meeting. Three meetings ago, the bill was introduced and failed. At the last meeting, the bill was reconsidered and then tabled because of time restrictions. At last night’s meeting, the bill was reconsidered but failed. However, many senators support the idea and stressed that the bill simply needed to be rewritten. In that spirit, the bill could appear again.
Salazar said that the current policy is that any student paying the student activity fee has the option to view the budget. “All they have to do is contact me and I’ll be happy to sit down with them and explain our budget,” he said.
Co-author of the bill, Commuter Senator Jim McNichols said, “I have a problem when a senator, for whether a week or even a day, cannot get a hold of their committee’s funds. The point is we want it to be available.”
In the end, the bill did not pass a second time even after attempts to amend it.
The only legislation during the meeting was a resolution, authored by SGA President Jay Perry and Election Commissioner Meghan Clune, to thank the staff in Information Technology Services and the Registrar’s Office for their support and assistance during the past SGA elections.
“The success of our first-ever online voting deserves our thanks,” Perry said. Embodying the true spirit of the Jesuit mission, “They went above and beyond the call of duty.”
