Last Wednesday, the Student Finance Board (SFB) made two motions to table decisions until this week regarding funding of the Deaf and Hearing Connection's Gallaudet Dance Troupe event and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) conference in New Brunswick.
SFB did pass motions, however, to fund events sponsored by the Psychology Club, the Astronomy Club, the International Club, the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Italian Club.
The motions to table the Deaf and Hearing Connection's request for funding was a result of the group's inability to tell SFB if the organization would be cosponsoring the dance troupe with the Delta Zeta sorority, whose philanthropy is speech and hearing awareness.
The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Oct. 15, leaving little time to tie up loose ends like funding. "This is why we tell everyone that they have to plan ahead," Julia Pratt, SFB executive director, said.
As of last Wednesday's meeting, Delta Zeta had not yet indicated to the organization how much money, if any, it would provide. The sorority had been waiting on SFB's decision in order to determine the additional funding the Deaf and Hearing Connection would need.
SFB members came to the conclusion that they would wait to hear Delta Zeta's contribution figures first before making any decisions, and plan to pass a motion regarding funding at this week's meeting.
Pratt reminded board members that SFB should be the "last people to give funding," meaning that organizations should look into all other ways to fund their events before requesting money from SFB.
The motion to table funding for NABA to attend an eastern regional NABA conference resulted from difficulties in establishing a preset formula for providing conference funding.
"It's very hard to find one set formula to make it fair across the board," Pratt said.
Because of this, Pratt decided that SFB would contact NABA as soon as it decides on a way to tackle conference funding. "We have to figure out a conference request policy before we can do this," Pratt said.
The Psychology Club requested money to fund its advertising and events, including a "Pumpkin Lobotomy," which it will cosponsor with the Mathematics and Statistics Club. The club also plans to host a hypnotherapist sometime in the near future. SFB unanimously passed a motion to provide the club with $311.
The International Club, formally known as the Exchange Student Organization, also requested funding for advertising, office supplies and an "Australian Barbeque" the organization plans to hold. A motion was passed unanimously to fully fund the $285 requested.
The Astronomy Club, an organization that was approved at the end of the Spring 2005 semester, came to submit its base budget at Wednesday's meeting, requesting $180 to pay for advertising and two possible speakers. The motion for full funding was passed unanimously by the board.
BSU requested funding for its upcoming Caucus, a daylong event on Oct. 15, which will attempt to strengthen and unify campus organizations by working together through a series of workshops, speakers and other events. SFB passed a motion to provide $1,478, full funding, for the event, by a vote of 13-2.
The Italian Club also requested funding for a trip to Arthur Avenue, an Italian neighborhood in the Bronx, as well as the Bronx Zoo. By a vote of 13-1, a motion was passed to fully fund the trip for $150.
