SGB grants funding to groups

Student Government Board satisfied many student organizations Tuesday night by granting… Student Government Board satisfied many student organizations Tuesday night by granting $19,058.29 of the $36,513.33 requested.

While the board didn’t grant all requests in full, student representatives present at the meeting were pleased with SGB’s decisions.

Co-officer Lindsey Bigelow of the women’s volleyball team was happy with SGB’s decision to grant her organization the $2,090.49 it requested.

“We’re going to be able to go to more tournaments this year,” Bigelow said. “We’re hoping to go to nationals and this is going to help with expenses. We used to fundraise but now we’re trying to use SGB money more.”

Zisha, the South Asian women’s dance team, was denied $5,122.54 for airfare to a competition in New Jersey and instead granted $1,442.54 for ground transportation, lodging and costumes.

Michelle Turbanic, the newly appointed allocations chair, explained how money from the student activity fee is distributed to groups.

According to Turbanic, after the primary budgeting process in the spring when major student groups like SGB, Black Action Society and Asian Student Alliance received funding, SGB was left with about $520,000 as of Sept. 6. All supplemental requests and this spring’s budgeting request will come out of the remaining money.

SGB also allocated $600 to itself for the Hurricane Katrina benefit concert being held tonight.

“Just so everyone knows, this money is going to be used for rentals and other supplies,” SGB President Brian Kelly said at Tuesday’s meeting.

A few weeks ago, SGB decided to send 4 board members – three of whom will not seek re-election this November – to a leadership conference in San Diego Oct. 27-30.

Board members Jarrod Baker, Dilinus Harris, Rebekah Bambling and President Kelly will attend the National Conference on Student Leadership. Bambling is the only member running for re-election.

The board overturned a recommendation from allocations to deny funding for the conference and granted itself $3,936 in an emergency session conducted through e-mail.

Presidential candidate and board member Joe Pasqualichio disagreed with the board’s decision to send members to a conference at this time in the term.

“I think the money that we are spending could be better used for students. It seems like a vacation,” Pasqualichio said.

“I wouldn’t go to a conference late in the year. I’d go earlier so we could implement the knowledge the rest of the year,” he added.

Former board member and presidential candidate Joe Salvatore echoed Pasqualichio’s sentiment. “[Conferences] should fall within the first months of term. I would not take big trips at the end,” Salvatore said.

According to Kelly, board members attending the conference will put together a report about the conference and present the information at a public SGB meeting.

“We want to make sure that the information stays with the organization,” Kelly said

“Technically, yes, we could pick up the phone and call every AAU school and try to get information, but it’s a lot easier speaking to people one on one in workshops,” Kelly added.

Board member and presidential candidate Zach Ransom disagreed with the other candidates.

“I would have found out about it earlier, and I would try to make sure all board members could go,” Ransom said.

SGB members who voted to overturn the allocations committee recommendation were Jarrod Baker, Rebekah Bambling, Liz Blasi, Dilinus Harris and Zach Ransom.