By Aleksandra Sidorova
Two clubs that received $2,000 on Sept. 25 for a joint trip to Boston asked for another $1,000 at the Student Association Senate meeting Oct. 2.
The Student Managed Investment Fund and the Accounting and Finance Association each requested $500 to fund their networking dinner, a cornerstone of their semesterly trips that for years had been paid for by AFA’s adviser Mohamed Gaber, distinguished service professor of accounting.
“He’s been doing this for a long time,” a SMIF representative said. “It is very expensive usually, because we go to a very nice restaurant with nice food to meet everyone. It’s very important to him.”
The club representative explained that the dinner feeds the 22 students and six faculty members on the trip as well as at least 10 alumni. The trip’s itinerary also notes the networking dinner is sponsored by the Plattsburgh Alumni Association and alumni based in the Boston area.
Several senators said they were not as inclined to provide the clubs with an additional combined $1,000 because the request showed a lack of planning or unnecessary expenses that did not support student needs.
If the clubs were not awarded the full amount, they may downgrade the restaurant. Senator Mrudangi Trivedi suggested that students contribute to the dinner by paying more out of pocket for their tickets.
Senator Tasmayee Jagtap pointed out that upon reviewing the list of students who will be attending the trip, she saw several acquaintances who had attended once or twice before.
“If you’re going again and again, that just means that the money is just going nowhere, is what I feel,” Jagtap said.
The representative explained that the repeat trips are an opportunity to connect with alumni students missed the previous time.
After some deliberation, the Senate unanimously decided to reduce the combined amount for SMIF and AFA to $400.
The Senate was prepared to entertain another request — from the CEO club to attend their parent organization’s conference in Tampa, Florida, at the end of the month — but tabled the decision to the Senate’s next meeting because SA Senate Adviser Tyler Hargraves said he forgot to invite club representatives.
Another order of the Senate’s business was approving the SA rules and procedures policy, effective through the academic year. The new policy states that members of the Executive Council and Senate may see their pay cut, be impeached or asked to resign if they miss three meetings or office hours. All but Senator John Carguello voted in favor of the policy.
The Senate approved students Hassani St. John, Matthew Wendler and Jonanthony Tarlen as members of the Activities Coordination Board. Senator William Donlon, who chairs the board, said the students attend meetings bringing ideas and take notes.
The Senate also approved Drew Goerlitz, associate professor of art, as adviser to the Arts Acquisition Board and Hargraves as adviser to the Public Relations Board.
