SGB tensions, money problems grow

Cigars, cash and criticism were primary topics at Wednesday night’s Student Government Board… Cigars, cash and criticism were primary topics at Wednesday night’s Student Government Board meeting.

Allocations for student groups, race and sexuality issues on campus and discrepancies in the process of committee chair selection had students and board members weathering a three-hour gathering that lasted until almost 12:30 a.m.

Approximately 80 students attended the public meeting, which took place on the 11th floor of Benedum Hall.

Board member La’Tasha Mayes set the tone for the meeting with her opening board report. Mayes left her seat behind the long conference table and walked throughout the audience as she criticized her fellow board members. She brought up issues of racial profiling and disrespect within the group, saying that there is cowardice within SGB.

“This board could care less about my feelings or anything I’ve ever done,” Mayes said. “What makes you think they care about your experience?” she added, addressing the public.

Mayes then criticized SGB president, Kevin Washo Jr., turning to face him as she spoke.

“I will always stand up in the face of oppression and in the face of Kevin Washo. I’m sick of being disrespected. I dare you to do it again,” Mayes said before pledging to represent those who had elected her.

Allocations recommendations were then given and voted on, with allocations committee member Hollie Freeman forewarning that the SGB is “short on money. There is not enough to go around.”

One of the biggest confrontations came with the board proposal to give $600 to the Society for Finer Things.

Nick Pawlenko, president of the 25-member organization, informed the crowd that his organization would like to attend a conference in Las Vegas.

In response to the laughter in the room when he mentioned the SGB’s problem with providing money for an alcohol and tobacco event, Pawlenko said, “We’re basically a cigars and scotch club. It only makes sense that we go to a conference where there’s cigars and scotch. If we were a computer club, we’d go to a conference where there was software.”

Pawlenko added the other benefits of attending the conference, including seminars, speakers and networking.

Freeman explained that the allocations committee handbook prevents them from funding for tobacco or alcohol.

Board member Pat Creighton spoke on behalf of the group, saying tobacco is not mentioned in the handbook and the $600 would not be used directly for the conference, but for the “other expenses in the trip.”

The board then denied the allocation committee’s recommendation to deny the stipend and approved giving the Society for Finer Things the desired money.

This approval came up several times throughout the night from other groups whom were denied money. A member of National Society of Black Engineers said “We might as well become Beer Drinkers of America so you’ll give us $500.”

An admitted lack of communication between the allocations committee and board members led to confusion about consideration for several organizations, including the Nursing Student Association and Campus Women’s Organization. As a result, some of the groups were advised to send their requests back through budget modification.

Helen Cho, member of Asian Students Alliance, said she spoke on behalf of Rainbow Alliance, Black Action Society and all minority students. Cho read from a written statement, saying that students of color do not feel like diversity has been made a priority of the majority of the board.

She also said SGB discriminates against the only two minority board members “in an attempt to drastically weaken the voice of minority students.”

Cho added that these groups also had concerns about the interpretation of SGB’s constitution regarding the selections committee and committee chairs, and that individual students would be filing judicial charges against the SGB.

In response to the charges of racial discrimination, many board members, including Andrew Hutelmyer and Pat Creighton, defended themselves, saying they did not fall into that category. Hutelmyer called the accusations “blind statements.”

“This is drama. I came to help students and that’s what I’m doing,” he said.

In his closing remarks, Pat Creighton said, “You might see one person of color up here, that doesn’t mean we’re not a diverse board.”

Washo, the last board member to speak, attempted to address all of the concerns of the night.

He said that as president, he tries to make the best decisions for everyone. He explained the committee selection problem saying that it lies in lack of accurate records of who was in the committee, and therefore who could vote.

“If people want to bring up judicial charges with this, I’m very confident that we didn’t break any major rules with this,” Washo said.

He said he is doing what the constitution calls for in having four people on the committee.

“We’re doing the right thing,” he said of the board’s decision. He ended the night by saying, in spite of everyone condemning SGB, positive things are being done.

“These are important issues. And if I’m going to get criticized by people who say ‘You know what? Kevin Washo doesn’t care about these issues,’ well, that’s just ridiculous,” he said. “Not everyone agrees with how I’ve run the board, but I think I’m doing it as best as possible.”