Student Association Executive Board members fielded a wide variety of questions Thursday from the newly formed SA Executive Review Committee.
Among the topics addressed by the E-board were the nomination of John B. Simpson as UB's next president, the amounts of the E-board members' tuition waivers, the police crackdown on Halloween parties in University Heights and the status of SA events such as Springfest.
The meeting on the third floor of the Student Union was the first for the review committee, a group of 12 student officials that is charged with making sure SA officials do their jobs effectively.
"The purpose of the meetings is to report both the good and the bad," said Adam Sherlip, the chair of the committee and speaker of the SA Assembly.
"Students are kind of intimidated by the SA office," Sherlip said. "It's the inapproachability of the office, not the officers. If the students take (the meeting) for its purpose then I think that students will better understand the perspectives of SA and its officers."
Questions developed by group members for the E-board were submitted to Sherlip, who addressed them anonymously to the E-board members.
Two E-board members - SA President George Pape and Jocelyn Tejada, SA Vice President - were present at the meeting.
The third, SA Treasurer Anthony Burgio, did not attend.
Sherlip said he was frustrated by Burgio's absence. According to Sherlip, the treasurer had two weeks of notification and ample time to prepare for the proceedings.
Burgio said could not attend the meeting because he had an exam, but will make every effort to attend subsequent meetings.
As a result of Burgio's absence, Sherlip said, the committee was unable to ask questions relating to SA's finances.
Four of the 12 review committee members were also absent.
The committee asked Pape and Tejada to give a general status update of SA. The E-board members said their first priority would be working with UB's next president, John B. Simpson, who takes office on Jan. 1, 2004.
"Having a new president is something this university has seen very rarely, and it's something to be excited about, but cautious about as well," Pape said. "Our main objective is, and will continue to be with our new president, making sure that the undergraduate body is represented and represented well."
The committee also inquired about the E-board members' salaries. Pape said each E-board member receives a $10,000 stipend per academic year.
"Our salaries fall in the moderate to high moderate range of all SUNY schools," Pape said.
In response to police arrests in University Heights over Halloween weekend, Tejeda said SA is working to tighten the relationship between UB students and Buffalo residents.
Tejada said SA is organizing the Race for Hunger program, which she said will help to feed needy citizens of Western New York.
Pape also suggested possible acts for the upcoming Springfest.
"Sixty seven percent of people polled in an SA survey wanted some type of rock performance, and most people liked the eclectic nature of Fallfest," Pape said.
After the E-board members left, the members of the committee discussed their views on how the meeting went and what they thought they could improve.
The creation of this committee was received with very little enthusiasm from the SA directors, Sherlip said.
He added that a loose interpretation of the committee's powers might give its members the capability to recall SA executives. Paul Verzillo, the chief justice of the Student-Wide Judiciary, will investigate whether or not it is possible to grant the committee this power.
Burgio said he believes the assembly is looking to uphold a balance of power within SA, but they can only accomplish that if they make its checklist clear-cut.
"I think their goal is to be a check," he said. "I think the assembly struggles in the fact that there's very little continuity. If Adam really wants to get this thing off the ground, it could become something positive."
"I don't have any objections to the committee, as long as it's set up professionally and they're not wasting anyone's time," said Burgio. "I think that this committee has the opportunity to establish a good precedent. What will help is if they do have a very specific agenda."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
