SFC Chair Vetoes WMLU Request

By: Nicole Gonder

Posted: 12/3/08

For the second time, WMLU's proposal for a re-allocation of funds appeared before the SGA. Although this is not the first time that the senate has seen the budget, it was the first time that WMLU sent representation, which consisted of 11 members who filled the gallery seats. WMLU General Manager Gerry Martin said he was not informed last time that he could send representation. On Tuesday, he came fully prepared.

WMLU put in a request for re-allocation, which means that the organization was already given the money by the SGA in their original budget last year. The money was originally intended to put on a benefit concert, but WMLU stopped organizing this event because they were losing too much money. They still have the money available to them, but they cannot use it legally without explaining to the Student Finance Committee (SFC) and then the senate what they intend to use it for, which they do through a re-allocation request.

After several weeks of waiting, WMLU had its chance to appeal to the senate during Tuesday's meeting. But before they even were allowed to speak, SFC Chair Tom McArdle informed the senate that he had vetoed the line item that requested new equipment. The line item was for $3,200 of the total $4,700 requested for re-allocation.

McArdle did not explain during the meeting why he vetoed the proposal, although he did inform WMLU members what they could do to appeal the process. WMLU must obtain three signatures from senators, a member of the senate must propose the appeal, and they must contact the SGA vice president in order to be placed on the agenda. Since this was the last meeting for the SGA for this semester, WMLU will not be able to appeal until mid-January when classes resume.

Martin began to protest the veto, claiming that the SFC chair must give an organization a week's notice before he or she can veto a line item. According to McArdle, the bylaws that Martin quoted were changed last election by a vote of the student body. Martin then lodged a formal complaint, saying, "There was no update on the SGA Web site that shows the student body that the bylaws have changed". SGA President Caitlin Revene stepped in, agreeing that Martin had a valid point and that she was currently trying to update the Web site.

Senator Jordan Miles proposed an audit for WMLU, which will occur next semester. The SGA went on to re-allocate $1,500 of the proposed budget for printer ink and band compensation.

Martin said, "I'm upset that the student body isn't informed about decisions or that there isn't a database of previous motions. We also don't know what's going to be discussed at senate meetings." He also pointed out that McArdle came up to him earlier and informed Martin that he was vetoing the line item because he felt that WMLU had intimidated the SFC by the number of WMLU members who showed up at the SFC meeting. Eleven members were present at the meeting on Tuesday, and Martin claims that even fewer were at the SFC meeting last Thursday.

McArdle's only comment about the SFC report was, "We are in the process of making a new amendment to change the bylaws where you can't pose the same budget twice".
• Senator Jordan Miles, who serves as a chair on the Judicial Board, presented a summary of J-Board and Honor Board cases for the semester. As of Monday the total cases seen for the fall of 2008 is 224. Of these cases, three were for possession of illegal drugs, one for engaging in physical violence, seven for vandalism, four for harassment and intimidation, two for drug paraphernalia, 15 for failure to comply with Longwood officials and 11 for possession of alcohol paraphernalia. The largest number of cases, 122, handled by J-Board and H-Board were alcohol violations.

Nine cases were appealed, three of which were upheld by J-Board and H-Board, two upheld with modifications, and four were overturned.

J-Board is looking to reinstitute the Greek Judicial Board, which as of right now will happen on March 1, 2009. Miles is working with the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life and some current members of J-Board will serve on the Greek J-Board. According to Miles, this is being done "to bring experience to the Greek J-Board".

Two J-Board member positions will be open for next semester.
• The university has formed a building committee for the new student union. Currently, they have some plans drawn up for the general layout, but nothing is ready yet. There is a student voice on the committee to represent the general student body.
• Senate members are looking into the possibility of obtaining health items, such as cough drops, that can go on sale in the café.
• Revene made an announcement to the senate that the office desktop computer was infected with viruses because senators were visiting the Web site juicycampus.com during office hours. "The computer is supposed to be for doing homework and for writing up agendas, not for personal downloads and entertainment," Revene said to the senate. The SGA will be paying $35 an hour to have the computer repaired by the helpdesk.
• There will be a Board of Visitors (BOV) meeting this weekend. At the meeting, the SGA will bring up a variety of topics which include the smoking policy, recreation fields, and campus safety. Executive Senator Cameron Patterson suggested that Madison Street and the area near the construction need to have more lights for students walking to the Landings at night. Also, he proposed that the area behind the recreation center needs lighting for students heading to their cars at night.

Other senators brought up other safety issues, including police presence on Buffalo Street during the week, not just on Thursday nights. Others asked for more safety programs and police to refocus profiling from underage students consuming alcohol to suspicious and dangerous-looking people. Miles mentioned that the state budget cuts have taken $2,000-3,000 away from the police force on campus, so new programs may not happen. Patterson said, "The budget cuts have hit everyone hard, but to have students feeling safe is more important."
• The Community Standards Committee, which reviews the student handbook and presents changes to the BOV, is looking at the drug paraphernalia policy to see if water bongs, hookah, and water pong would fall under this category. The committee is also looking at the endangerment policy, which covers the drinking and driving policy. Patterson, who presented for the committee, said, "The committee wants to review it to give J-Board and H-Board a little more leeway to sanction people".

Patterson also announced that the committee is looking to adjust the current policy regarding J-Board members offering advice to students who are to appear before J-Board. He said, "J-Board and H-Board should not have this right and they should not be sitting with students during their hearing." This policy is focused towards current members, so former members of the boards can still advise people.
• The smoking policy will be discussed at the BOV meeting this weekend. Revene told senators, "A tobacco-free campus will not happen until we can prove ourselves".

Money Watch: $14,667.42 allocated, including the WMLU re-allocation.
• The Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board was allocated $667.50 in order to host an alumni and student networking event on Friday, Feb. 20, 2009. The event is modeled after similar events put on by the business school, although these events are paid for by Longwood and not the student body. The event will last four to six hours and is open to the general student population.
• National Pan-Hellenic Council, Black Student Association and Lancer Productions (LP) came before the Student Finance Committee (SFC) to request $5,300 to pay for an inspirational speaker. The speaker will be Nikki Giovanni, a Grammy-award winning poet and English professor at Virginia Tech. Giovanni read her poem, "We Are Virginia Tech!" at the convocation after the shootings. The money was allocated in full, and the event will be open to the public.
• Club Basketball was allocated $1,772.20 to pay for registration, hotel, gas and bills.
• The Cycling Club was allocated $2,316.10 to pay for series, races, travel, lodging and replacement tools.
• The Longwood Student Veterans was allocated $3,111.62. They came before the senate on Nov. 18 and initially requested $9,000 for educational forums, promotion for these events and Operation Help-A-Hero.
• LP has chosen two of its headliners for Spring Weekend: Corey Smith, a country, rock and blues singer and Zac Brown Band, another country band. The last headliner spot will be reserved for a rap/hip-hop artist yet to be determined.