Students may vote on USSA

The future of the United States Student Association at Pitt once again was the topic of… The future of the United States Student Association at Pitt once again was the topic of conversation at the latest public Student Government Board meeting on Thursday evening.

Though the board did not vote on anything regarding the issue, after hearing several people speak out for and against SGB’s continued relationship with the organization, board member Joe Salvatore suggested allowing students to vote on the issue directly through a referendum in the November elections.

SGB President Brian Kelly reserved comment on the issue of USSA at the meeting, but in a later interview, Kelly said that, though he had not thought of using a referendum beforehand, it would not be too difficult to implement. The one problem that he suggested might exist is that students voting may not be fully informed on the issue and may vote anyway.

The only time Kelly has seen a referendum put onto the ballot was last spring when students voted to have the SGB term coincide with the calendar year.

USSA, a national student lobbying group, has come under question by many groups because of its politically liberal stances on some social issues that some Pitt students do not feel comfortable funding.

USSA’s and SGB’s relationship has become an especially controversial issue in recent months with the board deciding at a private meeting in early February to take USSA out of SGB’s budget after having already voted 5-3, in a public meeting, to continue funding the group. As it stands now, supporters of USSA will be able to apply to SGB for supplemental requests to help fund projects, but there will not be an annual budget.

The meeting and the proposed referendum came only days after board members Todd Brandon Morris and Lauren Evette Williams and eight other students returned from their five-day trip, March 26 to 30, to Washington, D.C., to attend USSA’s National Grassroots Legislative Conference, which included a day of lobbying U.S. Congressmen and Congresswomen.

Some in attendance questioned the fact that many board members did not go on the trip, especially because board members had expressed interest in learning more and not knowing much about the group.

According to Kelly, though, it was not a lack of interest or desire to attend the conference. It was the timing and length of the trip that made it difficult to go.

Last year, only two board members went, as well.

Some in attendance also stated that, if board members or others did attend the conference, their opinions regarding the actions that USSA takes might have changed.

Kelly, in the later interview, responded to this by saying that everyone who went on the trip actually was a supporter of USSA before they left for the trip, and that needs to be taken into account when evaluating their testimonials.

Board member Matt Hutchinson questioned the passion of USSA supporters and their inability to get even 12 people to attend the conference.

No students who signed up for the trip were turned down by SGB.

Meanwhile, Morris expressed frustration about the inability of the board to compromise on the issue.

“We hate to listen to other people,” he said. “No one in this room is listening — we all have our opinions.”

Other board members, though, were quick to state that they did enjoy listening to what everyone else said.

During a PowerPoint presentation, board member Charis Jones said students concerned about the platform of USSA should note that it can be changed and that dues-paying USSA members define the group’s platform each year.

But board member Joe Pasqualichio responded later in the meeting by saying that the platform could also move toward becoming even more liberal.

Jones compared the situation of not agreeing with USSA’s political stances and paying for their services to that of being a worker in America and not supporting the war in Iraq. Though she may not agree with the war, to continue having the benefits of living in the United States, she continues to pay taxes, similarly to students who may not agree with USSA’s policies and have to pay anyway to get the benefits that this organization offers students.

Some students, including Jared Solomon, said they wanted to see a return on campus for their USSA investment. Solomon added that he was willing to support USSA involvement so long as it was only on a trial basis.

According to Jones, one example of USSA’s campus involvement is the Get Out The Vote campaigns.

Many people who spoke at the meeting mentioned how USSA was involved with getting the Pell Grant’s rates increased in recent years. They added that about 60 percent of Pitt students are recipients of the grant and suggested that all of those students would, therefore, support a continued relationship with USSA.

But board member Liz Blasi, who is a recipient of this type of grant, said she did not know where she stood on the issue. And in the public vote in January, Blasi actually voted against giving money to USSA.

Board members Amit Kotz and Pasqualichio also voted against the funding.

Pasqualichio added that, without Pitt’s continued relation with USSA, the Pell Grant would continue to exist.

It was suggested by many opponents of USSA, including College Republicans President Brandon Boyd, that the lobbying effort should be focused in Harrisburg rather than in Washington, D.C., since Pitt does receive financial assistance from the state.

Others, including Jones, said that though SGB needs to sustain its voice in Harrisburg, the ongoing involvement in Washington, D.C., is important — especially to help students from outside the state, who may benefit more from federal assistance.

She added that it is easier and more convenient to have a full-time staff work on addressing issues at the national level rather than having a bunch of individual students or even schools trying to do it separately.

And the USSA member schools do have a full-time staff that can work on researching and compiling information on the issues that the members chose in their summer planning sessions — this year’s session will be in Pittsburgh.

The students involved are then taught about the issues during the annual conference, which is ended with National Student Lobby Day.

According to Jones, USSA is the only organization that gives all students a voice on Capitol Hill.

Responding to statements from some in the crowd that most people would not be able to easily set up appointments with some congressmen and congresswomen, Laurel Schwartz, who scheduled Pitt’s lobbying meetings, said she did not say she was calling on behalf of a USSA-sponsored group. She added that some representatives have not even heard of USSA — though she described USSA as being the “premier organization that represents students’ rights.”

Michelle Turbanic, a Republican, questioned why Pitt could not just send students to participate on the lobbying day without being directly involved in USSA.

The board will only be holding public meetings two more times this semester, and during that time, it is not expected that the board will vote on anything regarding USSA. Kelly said that although board members could bring up motions or resolutions involving it, he did not know of any plans to do so.