Funding for clubs and organizations was yet again the primary issue for many members of the Associated Students Senate during Tuesdays meeting.
With all financial actions having been approved for the week, there is currently $5,869 available in unallocated reserves and $3,902 in academically related reserves available for all clubs and organizations until the end of the school year.
Director of Finance Adam Haverstock said if all actions that are currently recommended for approval are passed next week, then the unallocated reserves will be depleted to $1,129 and the academically related reserves will decrease to $3,102. Haverstock warned the Senate, “Remember that you can only spend up to $1,129 if you decide to amend a recommendation.”
There was a 20-minute discussion as Sen. Joe Yomtoubian tried, over the course of three separate votes, to allocate more funds for CSUN Hillel, which is planning a trip to New Orleans over Spring Break. The intention of the trip is to help in the rebuilding efforts of New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina.
Yomtoubian said the extra funding that he was requesting was important for all CSUN students, and specifically referenced a documentary that was to be made during the trip.
“Through this documentary that they are going to be making, it will be helpful for others to see and become engaged in (the event),” Yomtoubian said. Sen. Samer Habib questioned the original increase recommended for funding due to the poor financial situation A.S. is currently in.
“Even though this is a worthy event, we should make our money stretch,” he said.
Yomtoubian brought up other examples of generosity in the past by the Senate to explain why the funding should be increased for the current proposal, but General Manager David Crandall told the Senate, “The discussion should be about this amendment.”
Another amendment for increased funding that was not approved came from Sen. Byron Baba, who requested an extra $50 for a CTVA student film project by Margarita Perez. He said part of the reason for the request for increased funding came from the fact that Perez had met with him on several occasions, as well as with Haverstock.
“It’s $50. I think I have that in my pocket, but since I am a poor college student, I can’t give it,” Baba said.
There was also an amendment for an increase in funding for Fit Fest, which is scheduled to take place on April 11. The final funding was $4,000 of which there was a $1,000 increase in funding from the Capital Improvement and Placement Reserves. This matched the amount given for the event by the USU.
Vice President Sarah Jackson ran the meeting on Tuesday, as President Adam Salgado was busy giving an introductory speech for Bill Handel, a radio personality who discussed immigration at the “Speak Your Mind” series.
Midway through the financial action regarding CSUN Hillel, a special meeting was called by Jackson for a vote regarding Raymond Jones, who was attempting to become A.S. senator. He was voted on unanimously, and all members of the Senate greeted him warmly as he took his seat, and was later voted onto the Judicial Committee.
Director of Elections Leonard Wong reminded the Senate about upcoming A.S. elections, and said that articles of publicity, including cards and T-shirts, were starting to become available.
“We received the first order of publicity cards, so you can pass them out to your constituents,” Wang said.
Of the five committee reports that were scheduled for the day, only University Affairs had any information to report. The other committees, which included Academic Affairs, External Affairs, Policies and Programs, all said they had not had meetings in the last week, and had nothing to report.
