Click here to view the uncut video interview with ASUO President Emily McLain and Former Sen. Steven Wilsey
Former Sen. Steven Wilsey told his former colleagues Wednesday that they should vote down a $6,960 budget for the Veterans and Family Student Association when the Programs Finance Committee’s final budget comes before them next month.
The PFC decided to give the veterans that budget Monday night during a meeting Wilsey exited before the vote was cast. The VFSA’s funds now could be in jeopardy, with several senators seeming to agree that such a large budget for a new group was an unfair decision.
Even VFSA member Sean Jin said he was uncomfortable with the way the decision was made, in what he said “felt like a political game.”
ASUO President Emily McLain had encouraged a compromise on Monday between the VFSA’s request and Wilsey’s suggested amount of $3,300. She reiterated Wednesday that she never encouraged giving the group nearly $7,000.
McLain has the power to veto the budget but has not indicated she plans to do so.
Wednesday’s Senate meeting was emotional and sometimes chaotic. It ended abruptly after there were no longer enough senators present to meet quorum. Sen. Kyle McKenzie left halfway through, and after Sen. Diego Hernandez left in anger no more motions could be voted on.
Wilsey came to the meeting to explain his decision to resign. He said it was a culmination of several factors, including having to do more work than other members of the committee.
He also considered the budget for the VFSA “disrespectful” to all other student groups, he said.
Wilsey created most of the committee’s model for doling out funds to programs, and he disproportionately carried the burden of understanding that model and having to explain it to student groups, he said.
He argued he was effectively rendered a committee of one. Groups caught on and pled to him, and he was forced to deliver most of the bad news.
He said he considered resigning for these reasons in the past, but other committee members promised to do a better job. Wilsey said they improved by the end of the process.
Wilsey said the VFSA had been recalled to be given more funds because they deserved special consideration, but he made up his mind that he would not give more than a total of $3,300 to the group.
Other committee members were willing to go higher however, and McLain at the time told the committee she thought more money could be given to the group. Wilsey said he is not at war with the Executive branch, but McLain’s advocacy for the group had changed the tone of the hearing.
Sen. Lee Warnecke said he would support voting down the PFC budget when the time comes. “For them to get as much as they did it seems ludicrous to me,” he said
PFC Chairman Jacob Brennan said he felt committee members “lost touch” with their job duties and that if Wilsey stayed to vote against the budget Brennan would have joined him.
Brennan urged PFC members to again recall the group.
Hernandez, who advocated giving the VFSA the entire amount, emotionally defended them Wednesday. “I wish my people would have had the opportunity to have (office) space and a $7,000 budget. Now I have the opportunity to give that opportunity to other oppressed communities and I’m going to say no? Fuck that,” he said.
When Hernandez sat down, he and Gulley swore at each other while Wilsey was speaking. Wilsey then said he was not being shown any respect and left.
Sen. Samantha Brodey chided Hernandez for his language. Hernandez then stormed out of the room, leaving senators unable to make any motions with fewer than 12 members. They continued to debate until Gulley said “Chairman Brennan, I think it’s very politically convenient for you to come before this body and call your members out, but I didn’t see you do shit on Monday night.”
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