E-mail troubles Anukem at SGB meeting

Student Government Board member Jennifer Anukem was troubled after she opened an e-mail Monday… Student Government Board member Jennifer Anukem was troubled after she opened an e-mail Monday night.

The e-mail came from one of her “constituents” on board the Semester at Sea ship, and it complained that a professor had espoused racist ideologies in a community evening lecture, saying that the African race was genetically inferior in math and science fields.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” Anukem said at SGB’s meeting Tuesday night. “I couldn’t wait to get in this office to see what I could do.”

Anukem said she would not release a copy of the e-mail to The Pitt News, because the facts represented in the e-mail had not yet been verified.

“I’m not sure how credible it is,” she said, explaining that the e-mail was very emotional and angry. She later recanted this statement, saying, “I actually do think it’s credible. I do know the person who sent it.”

The e-mail came from a resident adviser participating in Semester at Sea, Anukem said. The e-mail, which was originally sent to the RA staff in the complainant’s building, was then forwarded to Anukem, who is an RA in Forbes Hall. Anukem declined to specify in which building the RA complainant worked.

“My main issue is just to know what the University is doing about [the e-mail],” Anukem said, adding that she wanted to know what role student leaders could play in response to the e-mail.

Anukem said all board members planned to meet with Regina Schulte-Ladbeck, associate dean of undergraduate studies for the School of Arts and Sciences, this afternoon. Anukem also scheduled a meeting for this morning with Beverly Harris Schenz, the incoming director of Semester at Sea.

Board member Joe Pasqualichio said he doesn’t know if all the members were actually going to meet with Schulte-Ladbeck.

“Members of the board were told [Anukem] would like them to come,” Pasqualichio said in an interview Wednesday, but he couldn’t verify that everyone, including himself, was actually going.

Although Anukem expressed concern about the e-mail, she decided to wait until after meeting with Schulte-Ladbeck to discuss the matter further or release more information about the e-mail, including the name of its author.

“I feel like we need more information before [the board] can take a stance,” she said. Anukem said the professor involved was not from Pitt and was instead a guest professor from another university.

During the allocations portion of the Tuesday board meeting, the Panhellenic Association objected to denial of funds for food for an initiation and chapter meeting. Panhellenic had requested $1,002 — $105 for supplies and $897 for a dinner. The allocations committee recommended that only $550 be approved.

But a representative from the association argued that $550, minus the $105 for supplies, could not feed the 60 guests who would be at the event.

“Is there a reason this is a full meal?” SGB member Monica Higgins asked. “Do you think the event could function without a full meal?”

The allocations committee does not like to pay for full, sit-down meals, instead preferring to spend $3 to $4 per person on appetizers, board member Liz Blasi said.

But the Panhellenic representative argued that the event was a special one, serving as both an initiation ceremony and as a gathering of chapter representatives.

Two and a half weeks ago, the dinner for SGB’s Red Carpet Event cost $12,000 to feed about 700 people, which comes to about $17 per person. The Provost’s office donated money for the event, however, so SGB spent only $8,000 of allocations money on the dinner — about $11.50 per person.

If the full $1,002 was approved, Panhellenic could spend $14.95 per person, but the recommended $550 would mean that about $7.50 could be spent for each person’s food. The board opposed allocations’ recommendation to deny $452 and sent the request back to the allocations committee to reconsider.

A request of $8,775.50 for SGB was approved in full. SGB President Brian Kelly explained that this money was for writer Rebecca Walker’s appearance during Diversity Week. Rebecca Walker, daughter of “The Color Purple” author Alice Walker, will speak Monday at 8:45 p.m. in the William Pitt Union Assembly Room.

SGB also approved $3,153.07 for SGB’s Diversity Committee ethnic food fair, which will take place today from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. in the Union Ballroom.

In closing, board member Rebekah Bambling had some advice for students.

“I encourage everyone to play outside and enjoy the weather before it starts snowing again,” she said.