Student Government President Cassie Alsfeld and the Executive Staff erupted in applause Wednesday night after the Student Senate failed to pass a bill providing legislative oversight to a $41,500 SG account.
The money in the account, raised during the summer by Executive Staff members for SG programs, can be spent at the discretion of the SG president and Dean of Students K.C. White. The bill sought to require legislative approval for expenditure of the funds.
The bill was put up for reconsideration and will return for a final decision at next week’s Senate meeting.
SG Executive Chief of Staff Christen Romero, an appointee of Alsfeld’s, raised the $41,500 sum after negotiations with multiple corporate sponsors throughout the summer. The funds were secured under verbal contract in the name of SG, rather than any particular branch. The money was specified to fund student programs, like Groovin’ on the Grounds and Late Night in the Student Union.
The defeated bill, authored by David Iseral, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, intended to serve as an internal SG check to balance the ability of the executive branch to spend the funds.
“To suggest right now that there are enough checks and balances is absurd,” said Iseral, College of Arts and Sciences senator.
The bill was denied after nearly two hours of debate by senators and members of the Executive Staff.
Debate began when senators questioned whether the bill should require legislative consent only when a program’s expenses reach a minimum amount. The bill was amended to require Senate approval only when the combined expenses exceed $4,500.
The scope of the debate then shifted to the bill itself. Senators were apprehensive about the lack of oversight on an account raised by the Executive Staff for programming – a power traditionally reserved for the executive branch.
“This money is not going to their personal campaign,” said Andrew Remson, senator for the University Center for Advising and Counseling.
SG Vice President Josh King, who has previously characterized the bill as “red tape,” said the bill would cause inefficiencies and create unnecessary restrictions.
“A government without red tape is a dictatorship,” Iseral said. “That is not at all what I would like to be a part of.”
Some senators argued an SG legislative check was unnecessary. Remson said if the money was spent incorrectly, the Executive Staff would breach its contract with the sponsors and violate state law.
SG Director of External Affairs Calder Lynch said the companies did not agree to the donate the money with the idea that there would be additional student oversight.
“I just don’t think businesses will be inclined to give money to a representative of Student Government if that money has got to be approved by seventy college students they’ve never met,” said Timothy Brinks, E. J. Ourso College of Business senator.
Sen. Kori Lopreore, University College Center for Freshman Year, said though the account was accessible by only the executive branch, all of SG would suffer if the funds were misused.
Alsfeld said she was glad the bill did not pass.
“This is not serving the students,” she said. “This is not in their best interest.”
—Contact Daniel McBride at [email protected]