By Kelsi Peace, Managing Editor
Cost questions kept Congress occupied for much of the April 2 meeting as SA examined meal plans, appropriated funding and denied a request.
Congress continued questions about costs at the university, addressing executive vice president Phil Schubert; Anthony Williams, director of retail and purchasing; and Tom Morris, food services director, at the meeting.
Along with the Phase II Campus Center renovations, which will convert the Bean to offer more fresh food and customizing options, Schubert said the university has considered offering additional meal times or even offering 24-hours service. Another option, Williams said, could be a late dinner hour from 9 to 11 p.m.
However, costs to staff and to operate the service must be considered, Schubert said.
“We can create whatever structure you guys want to create – within reason,” Schubert said. “It does have impact. You can’t just create something out of nothing.”
Meal plan and meal plan exchange costs also raised some concerns among Congress members, who voiced several complaints about the less valuable option of using a meal plan at a satellite location such as the Fatted Café.
“The pricing will be consistent for that of a convenience store,” Williams said.
Morris added that students might receive fewer products for their money at a kiosk because the food is a convenience product and includes the cost of shipping.
The meal plan exchange format is still being discussed, said Williams, who promised a “better model for the fall.”
Morris cited the rising cost of fuel, eggs, milk, corn and wheat as factors in the rising cost of meal plans.
“Those always have an impact on pricing decisions,” Schubert said.
Congress appropriated $1,500 to SAAB, funding plane tickets to Chicago for four of the six men who will attend the organization’s national conference.
Junior senator and SAAB president Joshua Jackson said the organization needed funding from SA at the last minute because one of its members received money for a family emergency.
“That was my decision to do that,” Jackson told Congress.
After some initial enthusiasm, a bill by junior senator Kelline Linton appropriating $1,000 to the Social Justice Coalition’s Jam 4 Justice failed. Jam 4 Justice raises money for the Wishing Well organization, which builds water wells in Africa for $4,000 a piece.
“It’d be really cool if we could raise enough money to sponsor a well, which is our big hope,” Linton said.
Some representatives supported the bill, even encouraging members to support donating more money to the cause. However, many took issue with donating SA’s funds to a non-profit organization, arguing that the SA budget is intended to help support student groups. The bill appropriated funds directly to the Wishing Well organization, not to the Social Justice Coalition, which sponsors Jam 4 Justice at no cost, Linton said.
“It makes me feel uncomfortable to donate student activity fee funds to a nonprofit organization,” vice president Daniel Paul Watkins said. “[The project] is legitimate – I’m just wary of setting that precedent.”
The bill failed by 16 votes opposing, 12 supporting and six abstaining.
At the end of the meeting, senior senator Brandon Smith turned Congress’ attention to elections, verbally presenting a resolution to Congress that would not allow the elections committee to dock votes from candidates who violate the rules.
Smith and president Matt Worthington confirmed that in past years, votes have been docked from candidates. Punishment is at the discretion of the elections committee.
Smith presented a petition with 120 student signatures and said if passed, the resolution would not be binding, but rather would act as an advisory option to the elections committee.
A similar resolution failed last year because many thought docking votes was the most effective form of punishment.
Proponents of the resolution said docking votes violates democracy.
“Everyone has the right to vote; everyone’s voice should count,” Rep. Aaron Escobedo said.
Opponents included Madison Saniuk, junior international relations and Spanish major from Arlington, who co-chairs the election committee with chaplain Nathan MacKenzie. MacKenzie read a letter from Saniuk declaring her opposition to the legislation because, she said, it “undermines the committee’s
authority and politicizes elections.”
Chief development officer Matt Greenberg also opposed the resolution, telling Congress, “There’s no other way to repair damages done.”
The resolution passed 25-2.
