The recommendations included a $5,000 increase in the Social Council's budget, a $7,000 allocation for coaches for the crew team, a $2,800 allocation for the riding team and a $6,000 allocation for Voices for the Voiceless. The senate passed these recommendations with some opposition based on the fact that the programming budget would drop to $29,205.20 from an initial amount of $51,265.20. In the discretionary fund, $21,678.60 remains out of an initial $24,123.60.
According to Angiolillo, the allocations were necessary because the budgetary committee allocated a smaller percentage of its budget in the initial round of funding. "There is still a significant amount of money remaining … roughly $50,000 still available for the remainder of the semester," said Angiolillo. "We have more money at the moment-after several weeks-than past semesters have had for the entire semester on the whole [in the programming budget]."
The major issue of contention was that the literary publication Circus' request for an extra $1,200 in funds had not been approved. The budgetary committee recommended that Circus ask the English department for the extra funds, as it has done in previous semesters. Circus wants the extra funds so that it can print 800 copies of the magazine, the same number as last semester.
"Circus can operate for now and otherwise can come back to us after talking with the English department," said Angiolillo.
While recognizing that the $2,400 that Circus was already allocated for this semester was an improvement over previous semesters, Circus publisher Marcella Frydman '03 expressed concern. "I'm grateful for the money they gave us, but it's hard not to feel disappointed," said Frydman. "I think the AAS should support us on philosophical grounds … we aim to provide a forum where creative voices can express themselves, a forum that doesn't exist elsewhere."
The AAS plans to reconsider Circus' request if the English department does not provide any funds.
The e-branch announced that it approved proposals for diversity senate seats from La Causa, the International Students' Association, the Amherst College Republicans and the Pride Alliance. Under the new constitution, groups are allowed to apply to the executive branch for recognition and a diversity senate seat if they feel their community's voice has been silenced. Once they are approved, groups must elect one person as diversity senator.
According to the constitution, groups must hold a speech night for candidates and adequately advertise to the student body who is running and when the election will be held. Diversity senators must be elected by a simple majority of interested parties present.
The Amherst College Republicans is one group that has never held a diversity seat in student government. "It ought to go without saying that conservative students have been silenced on this campus … There is only one registered Republican among this year's faculty … a number of crimes have been perpetrated against Republicans in recent years as a result of their political orientation," stated Chairman Theodore Hertzberg '04 in his proposal for a diversity senate seat.
According to Hertzberg, one example of harassment was the destruction of Bush-Cheney posters across campus. The AAS expects applications from other groups in the coming weeks.
Kate Lang, five college office intern, spoke to senators at the meeting about the efforts of the five-college coordinating office to increase interaction among students across the five colleges. "From what we've been hearing, we feel like students are increasingly looking for ways to reach out to each other in the community."
According to Lang, the five-college office is currently gathering thoughts from student leaders on how to allow student groups at the schools to take advantage of each other's resources. "We are trying to touch base with student government associations in hopes of bring a group of representatives to look at ideas ... and help to facilitate the completion of a few projects," said Lang.
One of the ideas Lang's office has been considering is the idea of a large-scale five-college event. "It could be a concert, or a Winterfest … we're hoping [students] could help us figure out the nature of the event," said Lang. "It hopefully would become a tradition."
Senators seemed responsive to the idea of increased collaboration and approved the idea of a student coordinating board in a straw vote.
Students who have had experience with five-college activities had positive input. "It was hard to get in contact [with other leaders], but I was surprised at how well it worked when we pulled all of our resources together," said Alan Vazquez '03, who is the diversity senator from La Causa.
"I think it's a wonderful thing for our student government to participate in," said AAS President David Bugge '04E. "As a school, we try to represent ourselves as part of the valley community, but unfortunately there is a disconnect between the schools," he added.
Lang said her office had some resources to financially support projects that involved five college collaboration.