The Asian American Association (AAA) received full funding of $4,474 for Arun Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's grandson, to speak at the College on Nov. 6. Gandhi's speech, to focus on nonviolence and the Middle East, will kick off AAA's Experience Asia event, held every November.
AAA requested $8,500 for Gandhi's speaker fee and airfare, $250 for transportation and the College, $109 for a hotel room and $40 for food.
AAA deducted $4,425 from the total expense of $8,899 for the event because SFB had already allotted them $4,000 for a keynote speaker and because AAA's entertainment budget still had $425.
The event will be held in the Music Building. The theater seats 320.
Joslyn John, chair of AAA's Experience Asia committee, said many other organizations will be co-sponsoring the event.
Mike Cilia, SGA vice president of administration and finance, said, "AAA is known for putting on such great events, and this guy is such a pertinent speaker."
Cilia said his only issue was with the $40 AAA allotted for Gandhi's food, which would cover one dinner meal and one breakfast meal. Cilia said AAA could easily pay for it out of their own fundraising.
However, Cilia said if this feeling were in the minority, he would vote for the motion made for full-funding anyway because he liked the event so much.
The motion passed, with a vote of 11-2-1.
A motion was tabled for the request of The Gay Union of Trenton State (GUTS) and Planning Exciting Activities for a Never-ending Utopia for TCNJ Students (PEANUTS) to attend The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Bucks County Playhouse in Pa. on Nov. 1. The event would be open to all students at the College, with a maximum of 50 students.
The request involved $25 per ticket. For 50 students, the ticket cost would amount to $1,250. With car use for transportation, transportation would cost $105.60.
If each student paid $10 per ticket, $500 could be deducted from the cost. The resulting request was $855.60.
SFB voted unanimously to table the request to conduct additional research on bussing students to the event, to relieve the organizations of possible insurance issues.
Craig Gross, SFB chairperson, said he received an e-mail from Jamie Gusrang stating her resignation from her position of senior representative.
Gusrang resigned due her inability to attend meetings because of a conflicting job. SFB will search of another senior representative.
SFB also discussed ideas for an outdoor recreation trip.
Mary Ennis, director of External Relations, suggested horseback riding.
Jennyfer Nesci, director of Finance, said, "Let's rent a house in the Poconos and have a party." Gross said he didn't think this would be allowed and pushed for a paintball trip instead. The tentative date is Nov. 15.
The appropriation balances as announced by Nesci at the beginning of meeting included $9,096 for conference requests, $11,025 for capital equipment, $7,453 for new clubs, $6,000 for the multicultural award and $25,319.81 for special appropriations and weekend enhancement.
"We have to stick to these numbers," Gross reminded the SFB. "Due to budgetary restrictions, we cannot exceed them."
