The Student Finance Board (SFB) fully funded five events presented at its last meeting, partially funded three events and did not allocate any funding to one event.
The last presentation of the meeting was made by the Asian American Association (AAA) regarding the 14th annual Mystique. It was unanimously allocated the full $6,724.
Mystique 2007, which SFB members agreed is one of the most successful events on campus, required additional funding this year for new props and costumes as new acts are being added. However, AAA has raised the price this year to $4 per ticket from $3.
The Don Evans Langston Hughes Players requested funding for a new club. SFB members zero-funded the club in an 8-4 vote. The club had been an active organization at the College in the '70s and '80s. The funding was needed for upcoming student-produced acts and plays. The basic operating budget proposed by the club was $10,085.
"It seems to me that they do have a different vision, a different purpose than other theater groups on campus," Erica Klazmer, SFB administrative director, said.
But operations director Omar Selim said that he was "wary of starting up a new club with an over $10,000 requested budget."
Inter Greek Council (IGC) made a request for a lecture by public speaker T.J. Sullivan about how to work with members of an organization. The lecture, "Confronting the Idiot in Your Organization," is open for all students at the College even though it is a part of the Greek New Member series.
SFB unanimously decided to fully fund the requested $3,503.50, as it was decided that this is an event that could benefit many at the College.
IGC then presented a conference request to SFB for the upcoming National Greek Leadership Association Regional Conference in Pittsburgh. The three-night conference will be attended by four students.
SFB decided to provide for only necessary costs, and therefore allocated $200 instead of the requested $528.75.
SFB unanimously voted to fully fund an interactive workshop with Professor Cathy Zizik, who coaches both forensics and debate at Seton Hall University, presented by the Leadership Development Program (LDP). SFB allocated the requested $2,020 when LDP explained that it would be working with Women in Learning and Leadership to get students on campus to attend the event.
The National Council of Negro Women made a presentation requesting $795 for a bus trip to the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum in Baltimore. The event, which would include at least 40 students and be the last event of Black History Month, raised a few concerns.
SFB was mostly concerned with the fact that students attending the trip would only need to pay $8 for the museum. The rest, including travel costs, would be covered by SFB and the club. It was suggested that the price be raised so SFB would not be required to cover most of the costs.
"I don't find the price too steep," Steven Oliveira, SFB financial director, said. He added that if they raise the price, fewer people may attend.
SFB voted to fully fund the trip in an 8-5 vote.
Another new club request was presented by Lifesavers, the only pro-life group on campus. The requested budget, which would go toward a pregnancy crisis hotline, advertising and attending pro-life events, was $315.
After recognizing that SFB funds Vox, a pro-choice organization, SFB decided unanimously to allocate $245. The change in funding occurred after SFB requested that the proposed four Signal ads at $70 each be lowered to three ads.
The National Society of Black Engineers presented next with a proposed budget of about $400. Most of the funding from SFB would go toward national conferences for the 15 official members of the organization.
As the requested funding would not go toward on-campus events at the College, SFB members were reluctant to allocate funding. They therefore unanimously voted to allocate $218.
The next presentation was made by Chabad regarding an upcoming Passover Seder on campus. Chabad was given the full $497.67 it requested in a 12-0-1 vote because it is open to anyone at the College and was successful in the past.
"This is a good event," Blair Gumnic, SGA assistant representative, said, "especially if students can't get home for the holiday."
SFB, which prior to the meeting had a total balance of $88,404.29, allocated a total of $14,203.17.
