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Senate restores Spring Break Alternative funding
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The second time around the Associated Students of Boise State University Senate voted in a vast majority (13-1-1) to overturn a veto of ASBSU President Mark Getecha in its March 20 meeting in the Student Union Forum.
President Getecha vetoed the bill Tuesday. Its intent was to give $8,000 to the Spring Break Alternative, to pay for half of the airfare to this year’s trip to Honduras. He said the bill broke the ASBSU Code because by giving $8,000, ASBSU would have given the most amount of money to the SBA.
Regardless of Getecha’s reservations, the veto was overturned.
There was great debate in the Senate about the interpretation of the word “most” in the Code. The SBA collected more than $15,000 from various sources, but the monies given by ASBSU would make it the largest single contributor.
The Senate’s override may still be taken up with the ASBSU Judiciary, to determine the interpretation of the Code, to see if its actions Thursday were unconstitutional.
Another reason for the veto was that Getecha said ASBSU should not give money to other agencies on campus which also receive student fees (in this case the Volunteer Services Board). It’s a matter of moving student fee dollars around that disturbed him and caused him to veto the bill.
VSB Director Trevor Jack spoke to the Senate Thursday, stating numerous other instances where ASBSU had supported agencies also receiving student fees. He said he thought SPA was being “singled-out.” He also acknowledged a flaw in Getecha’s reasoning, in that the money was not going to VSB, but to the SBA (not a student-fee organization). He said that Getecha misinterpreted the line “fund most” to “largest single contributor.” Jack called it an “arbitrary invention of new red tape that only serves to impede progress.”
“If a program [Spring Break Alternative] is worthy, as everyone agrees it is, then we shouldn’t be contriving new red tape to prevent support,” Jack said. “I can’t thing of a better reason to spend money than to help students who are trying to help others.”
This problem arose because the project, in Honduras, was so much more than has ever been done before. The airfare was expensive.
Jack also said in the last three years VSB hasn’t had to give any monies to SBA (which is in its fifth year). He could not confirm whether it gave monies the first two years. But in 2008, the expected cost was three times that of last year, so the SBA had do pump up its fundraising.
“The minute we started meeting we knew our greatest task was going to be fundraising,” Jack said. “We were really grasping. To say that we did not plan this out, that we did not try is just not true.”
Last fall, as the group began fundraising, it also began recruiting people to go. According to Jack, Christian (Xian) Belden visited dozens of classrooms and met with students across campus. He found the 20 students who went to Honduras. He then resigned over winter break. At that point, Rob Turner took over the fundraising duties and the group of students went out into the community looking for support, raising a total of $15,000.
“They demonstrated their willingness and their fortitude by raise over $15,000 in seven weeks,” Sen. Joel Henretty said. “We are not bailing them out. We are simply helping them cover their cost.”
Sen. Henretty , the sponsor of the bill, reaffirmed his point that the overturn of the veto was not an attack on Getecha. He thanked the president for keeping an eye on ASBSU. He also took the blame for some of the confusion with the dollar amounts in the bill that looked a little shady.
“If there is any fault for confusion it should not be on Trevor (Jack), or the SBA students for trying to mislead anyone,” Henretty said. “It should be on me. I apologize if it caused so much confusion and controversy in the end. I take full responsibility.”
Henretty and some other senators expressed concern over the wording the Code, implying that a judicial opinion is imminent.
“No rules have been broken,” Henretty said. “There is a very large field in certain areas, even with the passing of the vetoes, we will still get judicial opinions to make sure the people who come after us will not have to go through the hoopla.”
Also, to clarify some confusion from Tuesday, a senator who casts a vote to abstain, their vote counts as a negative. For a senator to actually abstain from a vote, he or she must be recused from the meeting.
Let the campaigning begin!
Thursday at 5 p.m. marked the official start of the ASBSU elections. When students return from classes, they can expect a contingent of candidates vying for their votes.
Election Board Chair Mariah Fowler warned the senators running for office not to campaign around the ASBSU offices. It’s against the rules.
She also said she refused one candidate for the presidential office, whose vice presidential candidate was late to a meeting.
“I don’t like being the mean crabby person that said hey you messed up,” Fowler said. “Students who did not turn their packets in time can still run as write-in-candidates.”
The elections run from April 9-10.
A call for advertising
A bill was introduced Thursday that would give $1,000 toward advertising of “Peace: requirements and Obstacles,” an event to be held April 7, at 7 p.m. in the Special Events Center. The event topic is the peace process in the Middle East.
The special guest speaker is Hanan Ashrawi, a Christian woman from Palestine.
“She’s going to be talking to us about the peace process,” English Professor Marci Newman said. “We are asking for some support for two treason: one, to help with the cost of printing programs and advertising materials and also to get student support.”
Newman said that this event is a conglomeration from two English 216 courses, the Idaho Humanities Council, the Sociology Department, the SSPA college, the Cultural and Ethnic Diversity Board and others.
“This is strictly for advertisement,” Sen. Gabe Murphy said. “I am actually kind of afraid of this bill, because of where the money is going to go and which account it will go into. If that is the case, the red tape might stop it.”
With all this talk about ASBSU’s sole focus being on the clubs and organizations it represents, an event like this might get more focus, since no clubs are involved in the organization of the event.
According to Newman this should be a great event for BSU students, offering a different perspective of violence in the war-torn region.
“I think it’s a great treat for her to be coming to Boise Idaho and share her experiences,” Newman said. “She has done so much . what she has done is amazing and it’s great for women’s rights and peace.”
The bill was sent to the Budget and Finance Committee.
A do-over
The Senate unanimously passed two pieces of legislation Thursday. Each was a certificate of recognition to replace unconstitutional commendations passed Tuesday. One gives recognition to the BSU Cheerleaders and another to the Harvey Neef Mane Line Dancers, both of which placed in competitions this year.
DUSTIN LAPRAY
Editor-in-Chief