Tuesday night the Student Senate met and discussed the budget for the spring 2008 semester. A tentative budget was given to each senator, showing the funds allocated to each student organization and an eleven thousand dollar budget surplus. The senators then had the floor to debate the budget.
The meeting began with a request from Alphi Phi Omega to begin a recycling initiative on campus. APO active brother Filip Drambarean ’08 and APO president Asher Weaver ’09 presented the case for the project. “Everything on campus is trashed; nothing is recycled,” Weaver said.
Following this, Senator Patrick McAlister motioned for the establishment of a Special Committee for Fiscal Alternatives. Comprised of Mr. McAlister as Chair and Senators Cody Stipes, Royce Gregerson, Alex Avtgis, Craig Cochran, and Tyler Gibson as members, the committee would explore possible methods of saving Senate funds and reducing the student activity fee. The committee was unanimously accepted.
Gary James ’10 came to Senate and pleaded his case for the validation of the Progressive Student Movement. The Movement will focus on decreasing global inequality, educating people on the state of the world, and advocacy, including letter writing campaigns and food drives. “We’re focusing on the social angle, not the political,” said James. The Senate approved the new organization after a close vote.
“We were very happy that the student senate recognized the Progressive Students Movement Tuesday,” said James. “We understand some of the concerns some of the members had, and we addressed them. With everything going on in our country and our world, we think that students' voices should be heard. We want to create a new culture that reduces polarization and promotes understanding and equality.”
Senator Sean Clerget also motioned to increase the budget for the Wabash Conservative Union. Traditionally the Union has had three speakers a semester, but due to budget cuts the Senate only financed two this semester. Therefore, a budget increase of $2500 was proposed to hire Christina Hoff Sommers, whose focus would be on single sex education, said Mr. Clerget. “Her focus is on how boys are being left behind in schools, contrary to what many tell you about girls,” said Clerget.
The meeting lasted a little over an hour, and the Senators hotly debated over budget allocations to certain student organizations, such as the Malcom X Institute of Black Studies, the Inter-Fraternity Council, sh’OUT, Scarlet Masque, the Newman Center, and Eta Sigma Pi. Most of the changes enacted were small amounts; the largest was the approved allocation for Ms. Sommers.
Smaller details were also worked out in the meeting. One complaint raised was that the Senate reduced funding requests by certain clubs so that a more round number could be given. Some of these requests were carefully calculated figures that were seemingly arbitrarily dropped by petty amounts, such as a $427 request by the Independent Men’s Association lowered to $400. Motions were made to correct these complaints, and the Senate approved new budgets for nearly every organization.
As the Senate adjourned, Chairman John Moton held the vote for the approval of the new budget. It unanimously passed, and the new surplus budget of the Senate was changed to $9,886.10.