Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Living on the Edge: SAC’s Funding Gamble

In November of last year, the Georgetown University Student Association Senate passed a resolution calling for a change in the way the five campus advisory boards and the Georgetown Program Board fund student activities. Among other things, the senate called for open votes on funding, a process for the selection of new members that would be accountable to the groups they represent and plans for the spending of some funds in advisory board reserve accounts.

These reforms were crafted in response to complaints by students about the advisory boards made during a club summit, a club survey and by individual students to their senators. Four advisory boards and GPB have either complied with all of these points as written or reached a compromise solution with GUSA. One board has not.

The Student Activities Commission has refused to open its votes to the public. SAC also has not outlined a plan to spend down reserves. A recent assessment by the Office of Student Affairs has finally pinned down the worth of SAC’s reserve funds at about $215,000. Given this considerable value – which is $65,000 higher than what the vice president’s office recommends that SAC hold in reserves – SAC ought to stop feeding its reserve account, and instead pass on this surplus to the students.

Perhaps most importantly, SAC has refused to change the self-selecting, unaccountable process by which it chooses its own members. This process is what ensures that, year after year, SAC’s institutional culture remains unchanged.

Despite SAC’s inaction, the GUSA Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee has allocated SAC $12,500 in the draft budget for fiscal year 2010, as a symbol of its good faith, and recognition that SAC has made strides to comply with some reforms. It also has set aside an additional $12,500 that will be allocated as soon as the final reforms are completed.

I have no doubt that some members of SAC will portray the draft budget as a ploy by the Finance and Appropriations Committee to undermine SAC at the expense of student groups on campus. Indeed, the chairperson of SAC has already sent out a letter to that effect to each of the student organizations under SAC jurisdiction.

The reality is that nothing could be further from the truth.

Simply put, SAC is holding student activities hostage in an attempt to preserve its unaccountable way of doing business. It seems SAC would rather deprive organizations of the Student Activities Fee funds that they deserve than to institute reform and dip into their reserves. If they are truly worried about student club sustainability, they ought to consider complying with these reforms.

GUSA will work to ensure that all student organizations that need funds for the upcoming year receive them. They are, after all, the students’ funds. But I do not believe that it is in the best interest of any student to fully fund this SAC if it cannot be held to the same standards of transparency and accountability as any other advisory board – or GUSA itself.

At the end of the day, the Student Activity Fee money belongs to the students. GUSA has made a good faith effort this year to listen to your voices and provide unprecedented accessibility to our proceedings. Through forums, town halls and public meetings, we have endeavored to truly be student representatives. I could not believe more firmly that these advisory board reforms are basic and necessary. I encourage any students who agree to write to SAC at sacgeorgetown.edu. Tell SAC that, after extensive student complaints, it’s time for a change.

Adam Talbot is a sophomore in the College and the speaker of the GUSA Senate.

*To send a letter to the editor on a recent campus issue or Hoya story or a viewpoint on any topic, contact opinionthehoya.com. Letters should not exceed 300 words, and viewpoints should be between 600 to 800 words.*”

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