Senate Clashes Over Fee Allocation Committee

Student Association Senate members clashed Wednesday in a heated debate over the formation of two new committees that will allocate club budgets and look into student concerns on various issues.

The controversy stemmed from the selection of members for the five-person finance committee, which will handle SA's budget and dole out the extra money won in September's fee increase vote.

SA Treasurer Jessica Dangler arrived at the meeting with a list of five names she wanted on the committee.

"I wanted to pick people who weren't so involved in SA, and who were interested in being in the finance committee," said SA Treasurer Jessica Dangler.

Dangler explained the importance of the finance committee, which controls an important piece of SA's fiscal life.

"The five members of this committee are responsible for allocating money and funding to the many academic, sport, and cultural clubs on campus," Dangler said.

Dangler said she announced at the last Senate meeting that she would be making recommendations for the committee, and that those who were interested in joining were contacted and given interviews. She added that she also sent out e-mails regarding information about the committee nominations.

Many of the senators, however, made objections to Dangler's selections of Viqar Hussain, Casey Prozeller, Brittany Shapiro, Eliot Sherman and Laura London. Some members claimed that they had no prior knowledge of any interviews.

"I wasn't at last week's meeting, and I didn't receive any E-mail about the finance committee," said Arturo Rodriguez, a Senate member who expressed interest in joining the committee early in the meeting.

After some controversy, a motion was made to let the five members already chosen by Dangler take one minute each to defend their selection and say why they deserved the responsibility.

"I feel that I have a lot of knowledge about the overall Student Association, as well as its finances," said Hussain, an active member in both Muslim SA and Pakistani SA.

Casey Prozeller, a senior member of the women's lacrosse club team, said since she is a graduating senior who is only registered for three classes next semester, she'd be able to make the needed time commitment to the finance committee.

London defended her nomination with a call for experience on the committee.

"I feel that we need someone here who knows how to allocate money, and who knows what they're doing," said London, the president of women's rugby last year and this year's co-captain of the club team.

Although having years of experience was a selling point for some candidates, SA President Anthony Burgio gave another point of view.

"It's not a matter of experience, it's a matter of time commitment and impartiality," he said.

Burgio's emphasis on impartiality opened the floodgates to debate on club favoritism.

"I haven't been that involved with SA, I was on the assembly last year, so I don't have a bias towards any club," Shapiro said.

Since Prozeller and London are both very active in their respective sports, many members voiced that bias can easily come into play when setting funding limits for other sports. Members claimed that it was unfair to have two representatives of sports hold positions in the committee.

Following the short speeches, the Senate held a second nomination round in which Rodriguez nominated himself.

"I don't know any E-board members so my opinion can't be swayed ether way," said Rodriguez. "I have the time and the willingness to commit."

Mazin Kased, the Senate chair, was also nominated by a fellow Senate member.

Burgio then made his recommendations, reiterating the importance of impartiality. Unlike Dangler, he chose Arturo and said the last seat would come down to either London or Prozeller.

After a vote, the official committee members were announced as Viqar Hussain, Brittany Shapiro, Eliot Sherman, Laura London, and Arturo Rodriguez.

The other committee, research, is designed to discuss and follow-up on various issues and concerns made vocal during the Senate meetings. It is chaired by the Senate Chair Mazin Kased and four members elected by the Senate. Viqar Hussain, Eliot Sherman, and Casey Prozeller were voted in unanimously.

The Senate also finalized a policy for new clubs becoming official, and discussed privately the disciplinary action for several clubs.