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Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) and Sigma Phi Epsilon presented resolutions at last week’s SGA meeting to tap into the $1,000 philanthropy fund. Groups can ask to receive up to 30 percent of the remaining funds to go toward supporting their philanthropies.
Sigma Phi Epsilon requested $300 to reimburse expenses for the Queen of Hearts event. Sigma Phi Epsilon was awarded $200 after the senators amended the resolution.
SIFE’s resolution asking for 30 percent of the remaining funds, or $240, failed to pass. SIFE’s event, Talent for Life, supports the philanthropy Ryan’s Reach, which funds research for severe brain injuries and supports underprivileged families.
Junior Mike Nevarez presented the resolution to SGA. When questioned, he was not able to properly explain the budget to answer the senators’ questions, according to SGA President Carl Kasalek.
“I would say that I answered 70 to 75 percent of the senators’ questions,” Nevarez said. “I know about the organization, I know about SIFE, but I did not work with the logistics of this event directly.”
Nevarez said that he misquoted the prices of the ticket sales to the senators. According to Kasalek, SIFE’s resolution also received scrutiny because they had already received $300 from ICC.
“One of the concerns mentioned was that they were trying to fund their entire event off of SGA money,” Kasalek said.
Kasalek has tried to streamline forms in which an organization applies for funds. Resolutions must be submitted a week in advance to be put on the agenda.
“We have in the past, and Misty (Day) has given ICC strict deadlines,” Kasalek said. “Greek groups, which (are) the only groups involved, know SGA rules in getting things done a week before.”
Nevarez said senators helped him with some procedural motions that he did not know about or understand.
“I found it confusing,” Nevarez said. “I go in and I didn’t know how (the) student government worked … I didn’t realize the whole balance changed.”
The Sigma Phi Epsilon resolution was also submitted after their event. The resolution asked for reimbursement, instead of seeking funds before the event. According to Kasalek, there is no rule against this, but the general understanding is that groups are to seek funds before their events.
“I am glad that we were able to get anything from SGA,” Sigma Phi Epsilon’s representative sophomore Keiy Murofushi said in an e-mail interview. “But overall I was very disappointed about the process.”
Sigma Phi Epsilon had a profit of $700 after putting on the Queen of Hearts event, but approached SGA to add to the money they were to give to their philanthropy.
“I think the way SIFE was rejected and Sigma Phi Epsilon passed was not right,” SGA Senior Class President Ryan Breedyk said. “Sigma Phi Epsilon came after their event so the money wasn’t going to their costs.”
Submitted 11-04-2004
MALIBU, CA
