The treasurer is the chief controller of the Student Association's multi-million dollar budget. He or she is in the president's cabinet, is chairperson of the Senate Finance Committee and is a voting member of the Emergency Powers Council. The treasurer is responsible for the disbursement of the SA budget and revenue. The treasurer must also keep a strict inventory, as well as communicate with treasurers of all SA-funded groups to inform them of any changes.
Name: Siddhant Chhabria
Year: Junior
Major: Finance and economics
Party: Spirit
Current SA position: Former SA Finance Department bookkeeper (laid off from position)
Extracurricular activities: Treasurer of the Indian Student Association (ISA), member of Delta Sigma Pi Fraternity
Relevant experience: Treasurer of ISA - helped coordinate and run cultural shows like Muqabala and India Night; controlled the $4,000 budget for the club. Interned at First Investors over last summer. Worked under two SA e-boards but never completed either year.
Siddhant Chhabria, an international student from India, emphasized his plan to improve efficiency if elected SA treasurer.
"Having that idea that every student should be aware of the transparency, inclusiveness and efficiency that an SA e-board brings on the table will definitely prove to be beneficial to the entire UB community," Chhabria said.
Chhabria interned at First Investors, where he worked under a licensed representative to see where to invest client money. He said his private-sector experience would help him be an effective treasurer. He also spent some time as a bookkeeper for two different e-boards - first resigning from the position because of the "unprofessionalism" of staff members, and this year, he was laid off by the current e-board.
The candidate said he would grade current Treasurer Justin Neuwirt's job as a "B." Chhabria said Neuwirt was very approachable this year and was always in good communication with clubs. He plans to emulate that.
He gave the e-board as a whole an "A." He said they did a great job, especially considering the "mushy ground" SA was in after the previous administration. He was impressed by the way they were able to re-establish themselves.
Chhabria said one of his most important plans is to create an "emergency line" that would hold $25,000 for clubs. He said the line would allow clubs that have sufficient funds but not direct access to their budget to temporarily borrow at the discretion of the e-board. It's a measure that would have to be approved by this year's SA Senate.
He emphasized the importance of many smaller goals. Chhabria said it would bring about more realistic opportunities for change than trying to focus on larger, unachievable goals.
"The finance department of the SA and financial processes need to be more efficient," Chhabria said. "[Students] should know where that $94.75 is."
Name:Joshua Fromm
Year: Sophomore
Major: Business finance
Party: Forward
Current SA position: Finance Department bookkeeper
Extracurricular activities: Zeta Beta Tau fraternity
Relevant experience: Bookkeeper - became familiar with the different financial processes between clubs, SA and Sub Board, Inc., over this past year. Handled $32,000 as assistant treasurer of Zeta Beta Tau.
Joshua Fromm plans to bring his experience as bookkeeper of SA's Finance Department to the position of SA treasurer.
"Besides my work ethic, I really feel that being a bookkeeper and knowing the process in and out [makes me qualified]," Fromm said. "When the clubs come to me for money, I am going to know exactly what issues they are going to have because I dealt with them all year."
He stressed how important addressing the current $171,000 deficit is to his campaign. He plans to reduce the deficit by restructuring the staff and moving the money that is saved back into the budget.
"We are trying to run a fiscal stability organization," Fromm said.
This year, Fromm was the assistant treasurer of Zeta Beta Tau, where he handled a budget of $32,000.
Fromm said he would have to give Neuwirt, a brother in his fraternity, a "B+" for the job he has done this year as treasurer. Fromm said Neuwirt fixed a lot of the financial problems past administrations have had. He said Neuwirt was also very open and available in the office for clubs. The most important thing he did was improve the communication between clubs and the Finance Department, according to Fromm.
He graded the present e-board as a whole with a "B-." He said the communication between President Travis Nemmer and clubs could have been better. Fromm also said he barely sees Vice President Adam Zimnicki in the office.
Fromm plans to be more available for clubs if elected.
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