Seemingly simple fund transfers riled the ASUO Student Senate meeting Wednesday night. There was debate over limitations on groups sharing student money to pay for staff and the uses of fundraising money for putting on events.
The Senate overwhelmingly rejected a request from the Black Law Student Association to transfer $350 to the Coalition Against Environmental Racism with a vote of 0-15. Moe Spencer, BLSA director, said BLSA agreed to transfer extra funds to CAER to help the group compensate a third co-director who was added earlier in the year, worked for awhile and was later dropped.
Sen. Kevin Day criticized BLSA and CAER for the request, saying student groups can’t change the stipend model created by ASUO.
The Asian Pacific American Student Union’s request for surplus funds to put on an upcoming event was also rejected after senators decided the group should first use its fundraising money to put on the event before asking the Senate for more student money.
APASU co-directors Kit Myers and Lydia Koo asked for $275 of surplus money to help pay for a theater performance for an upcoming event. Myers said he and Koo didn’t want to tap into their fundraising funds because they wanted to retain that money as a “safety net” for next year. Myers said they expect to have done about $1,500 in fundraising by the end of the year.
Sen. Steven Lockfield said that having a safety net is a good idea, but the group could probably spare $275 from the fundraising account.
Day agreed, saying it is fiscally irresponsible to ask for funds for an event when a group has sufficient fundraising money.
Sen. Rodrigo Moreno-Villamar said he found Day’s comment “offensive at least,” and that such insensitive remarks contribute to the unfriendly face the Senate presents to student groups.
Day responded saying he realized the phrasing was a little harsh, but groups should use fundraising money first.
Sen. Kevin Curtin agreed with Lockfield and Day and said student groups should use their fundraising money first and ask the Senate for additional funds if they run short.
ASUO President-elect Adam Petkun spoke to senators, telling them the Oregon State Board of Higher Education is proposing to eliminate the tuition plateau. He appealed to senators to call Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s office and leave a message voicing their support for the plateau. Kulongoski is now president of the board.
The Senate also released $1,000 to the ASUO Women’s Center for a spoken word artist, $50 to the Latino/a Law Student Association for food to welcome next year’s minority students, $641 to Kultura Pilipinas, $254 to the Muslim Student Association, $25 to APASU, $100 to the Ad Club and $686 to the African Student Association.