In the fight for scarce resources, Willard Straight Student Union Board appealed the Appropriations Committee's previous decision regarding the group’s request for increased funding. Before hearing the appeal, Chris Basil '10, vice president for finance and chairman of the Appropriations Committee, took a minute to explain to the new S.A. members how the Appropriations Committee goes about making allocations decisions for by-line funding: “The S.A. votes down from the amount the group requests so the S.A. is not allowed to vote for more than the group requests,” he said.

SUB Director Bryan Biello ’10 made his case by explaining, “We feel that this 15 [cent per student] cut to our budget would hinder our efforts to revitalize the Straight … Our mission is to try get people back on Central Campus because with all the community centers around campus people tend to forget about the Straight. With this cut … we wouldn’t be able to develop future events or improve current events.”

Biello continued, “One of the arguments you guys gave us was that our mission falls in line with too many late night event groups … [but] when we had our constitution evaluated last year by the S.A. they had no problem with it.”

As Basil flipped through the SUB’s lengthy report on its expenses, he countered Biello’s argument, saying “In places like Willard Straight, it’s really important to me to be focused on high quality programming … Two years ago I remember walking through Willard Straight and seeing a chocolate fountain here in the Memorial Room – that was nice but I don’t think it was worth $1000.”Something important: Student Assembly members vote yesterday in the Memorial Room of the Straight yesterday

Nikhil Kumar ’11, vice president of internal operation, was tentatively supportive of the SUB’s request.

“First of all I want to commend you guys for all the activities you guys put on and I think that is reflected in that the Appropriations Committee voted to approve 90 percent of your funding right now.” He added that, “Given the numbers it looks like many SA committee members may want more [funding] for you.”

The newly-elected Matt Danzer '12, LGBTQ liaisan at large, was willing to entertain the SUB’s appeal, offering, “I am willing to table it for two weeks so that the Student Union Board can submit a more detailed budget.”

However, the motion to table did not pass in the first vote and in the second vote it failed.

At this point, Basil stepped in to explain to the newcomers that appropriations decisions did not have to be finalized immediately, as such issues can be re-addressed during the last two weeks of the semester: “It’s easier to reconsider the issue at the last and second to last meeting of the semester. But that being said, we don’t want to be stuck here voting on byline funding so if there’s any hard issues we should vote on them now.” Nonetheless, the Appropriation Committee’s decision regarding SUB funding finally passed by a vote of 16 – 3.

In addition to addressing the SUB's appeal, the Assembly voted on a number of additional proposals at yesterday's meeting. The S.A. unanimously approved the new Constitutions submitted by both the Multicultural Greek Letter Council (MGLC) and by Haven. The S.A. also passed a resolution increasing the collaboration between the S.A. and the Class Councils as well as a resolution creating a Student Innovation Council out of the existing Student Activity Forum after a brief discussion on each resolution.