2008 Woodie Awards
SGA not to blame for miscommunication
Students looking for a scapegoat for budget, bylaw woes
By: Joanna Imbeault
Issue date: 10/12/06 Section: Opinion/Editorial
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Someone once told me that, "if you point your finger at someone, there are three fingers pointing back at you." I confess that it took me some time to understand the meaning behind this phrase, but I find that now, it is perfectly applicable to the situation surrounding SGA and student organizations.
We have had quite a bit of time pass in this semester trying to establish who is to blame for the misunderstanding of bylaws, or why there seems to be a smaller budget for organizations than in previous years, or why SGA and organizations cannot seem to communicate with one another. The time for assigning blame and finding a scapegoat for our follies is over.
There is now $60,000 that is to be used by Campus Activities and the Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs for bringing big events to campus. During the first session of the Officers' Summit in September, student organization officers brainstormed along with John Ginsburg on what kind of big events students might like to see come to Webster University. This was the precise reason for the activity fee - to have bigger, better programming brought to campus that could not have happened through student organizations and their own budgets.
Concerning budgeting, there is a lot of controversy over the issue. Why is there less money to go around? As John Ginsburg said in a prior SGA meeting, there are more student organizations now than ever, and nearly all of them receive funds from SGA. I cannot imagine what type of job it is to try and allocate to more than 60 organizations the money they ask for, but which, because of the budget, cannot be given.
The reason for fewer funds is that organizations are spending nearly all of their budget allotments and bylaws are being adhered to. Therefore, returned funds that are counted upon by SGA are not returned, and SGA has less money to give out the following semester; so in reality, the reason for fewer funds is that organizations are becoming better money managers and budget law abiders.
We have had quite a bit of time pass in this semester trying to establish who is to blame for the misunderstanding of bylaws, or why there seems to be a smaller budget for organizations than in previous years, or why SGA and organizations cannot seem to communicate with one another. The time for assigning blame and finding a scapegoat for our follies is over.
There is now $60,000 that is to be used by Campus Activities and the Multicultural Center and International Student Affairs for bringing big events to campus. During the first session of the Officers' Summit in September, student organization officers brainstormed along with John Ginsburg on what kind of big events students might like to see come to Webster University. This was the precise reason for the activity fee - to have bigger, better programming brought to campus that could not have happened through student organizations and their own budgets.
Concerning budgeting, there is a lot of controversy over the issue. Why is there less money to go around? As John Ginsburg said in a prior SGA meeting, there are more student organizations now than ever, and nearly all of them receive funds from SGA. I cannot imagine what type of job it is to try and allocate to more than 60 organizations the money they ask for, but which, because of the budget, cannot be given.
The reason for fewer funds is that organizations are spending nearly all of their budget allotments and bylaws are being adhered to. Therefore, returned funds that are counted upon by SGA are not returned, and SGA has less money to give out the following semester; so in reality, the reason for fewer funds is that organizations are becoming better money managers and budget law abiders.
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