USG adjourns prematurely, fails to allocate RSO moniesBrandon WeisenbergerDaily Egyptian
The Undergraduate Student Government failed to allocate funds to Registered Student Organizations Friday for the second straight meeting, leaving many student groups disgusted.
The meeting lasted 30 minutes, and ended early because not enough senators were in Student Center Ballroom C to discuss funding. Instead, many were in the hallway talking with each other privately and no action but adjournment was taken.
Allocations of more than $500,000 of projected student activity fee money to 35 RSOs were first set for Wednesday, but had to be postponed. Little time was left after senators censured President Nate Brown and passed a resolution urging Chancellor Walter Wendler to find a job elsewhere.
So USG vowed to give allocations a second chance, and a meeting was scheduled for Friday.
To complicate the situation, the budget proposed by the finance committee was faulty, with committee members admitting they over-allocated more than $40,000 in anticipation of an increase to the activity fee. SIU's Board of Trustees tabled the fee increase at its meeting Tuesday, and will decide its fate in June.
The committee did not meet between Wednesday and Friday, but chairwoman Tonya Sinkovits brought funding recommendations from three of six members. She had no explanation why the entire committee did not convene.
RSO representatives were allowed to speak Friday, but could barely be heard over senators - many with their backs to the microphone - who carried on conversations.
Afterwards, Black Affairs Council coordinator Kevin Winstead took the stand to say RSOs were receiving unfair treatment from USG and someone had to be held responsible.
"I'm not upset at any individual senator. However, I am upset with the institution and how it's being run right now," Winstead said. "At the end of the day, at the end of this term, I want to see somebody's name on a piece of paper being held accountable. If not, I'm going to raise all kinds of hell."
Chaos erupted inside and outside the ballroom after the meeting ended. As senators bickered about the lack of organization in USG, Sen. Dan Bachert chased down members before they left, trying to get the meeting restarted. He was unsuccessful.
Vice President John Teresi, who ordered the meeting ended, came under fire from several senators who wanted another meeting, but he said 48 hours notice was required before another session could occur.
While senators pointed fingers and raised their voices at each other, contempt for USG was abundant among a few RSO representatives. Some waited four hours Wednesday to see how much money was available for next year, and came to Friday's meeting for clarity.
Dennis Van De Laar, travel director for the Student Programming Council, stood with his arms crossed as he peered at the arguments unfolding in the meeting.
"It's a big mess. If this is what's supposed to represent me, I'm scared," he said.
Karen Mylan of the Phi Alpha Theta, a history honor society, shook her head, and WIDB radio general manager John Dillon slumped in his chair when the meeting was adjourned.
"It's really frightening that they have control of students' money. I'm really disappointed," Mylan said.
After about 40 minutes of senators arguing, Brown spoke loudly into the microphone, quelling the chaos for a few seconds. He said the finance committee was to meet today and finalize funding at another special meeting Wednesday.
He said newly elected President Akeem Mustapha and Vice President Paul Ogwal would be sworn in at that meeting, a week after their scheduled appointments
"This is what we're going to do. This is what has to be done," Brown said.
