The Student Senate allocated $1,142 in surplus funds at Wednesday’s meeting and gave another $61,689 from the over-realized fund.
? LGBTQA submitted a request for $144 to cover the costs of purchasing a digital telephone, which they said they used to track harassing phone calls. Although some Senators argued that the LGBTQA has plenty of money in its fundraising account to cover such expenses, others said the cost of a phone system was necessary to help students feel safe on campus. After the vote ended in a deadlock, SunOwen cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of allocating the funds.
? Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. received $710 to fund an upcoming conference, and $288 to the Coalition Against Environmental Racism for a telephone line item that had caused them to run a small deficit.
? Senators also voted to allocate $26,689 from the separate over-realized fund to the Oregon Marching Band to purchase a new drum line. Band members brought in a set of drums held together with duct tape with pieces of the bottom peeling off in large strips. The drums, which have an expected life span of only six years, are seven years old. The vote to allocate the money passed easily. Only Sen. Nate Gulley, who insisted the money should come from the Athletic Department, voted no.
? Senators moved a request from the Emerald for $9,801 to purchase video equipment to the finance committee, which won’t meet until the fall. Some senators argued the Emerald could not receive the money because some say a contracted service cannot receive money for anything other than what is specified in the contract. SunOwen read the Emerald’s contract, which specifies incidental fee money goes only toward a bulk subscription fee for the print edition of the paper. The request was sent to the Senate Finance Committee for further investigation into whether the Emerald could receive any money from surplus or over-realized funds.
? The Senate allocated $35,000 to purchase start-up equipment for an electronic ticketing system. Sen. Kyle McKenzie, chair of the Athletic Department Finance Committee, said the Athletic Department will implement the system no matter what Senate does, but giving these funds will give the ADFC a say in how the process of purchasing e-tickets will work.
? Senators elected Sen. Kate Jones to serve as chairwoman of the summer Senate and Sen. Neil Brown to serve as vice chairman.
– Jobetta Hedelman