The first allotment that senators thoroughly discussed was a recommended $2000 to Youth Action International (YAI) for Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams, who will speak this Thursday on the topic of land mines. Maria Jones' '05 motion to fully fund the event by increasing the allotment to $3000 was approved in a close vote-11 in favor, nine against and two abstentions.
Senators in favor of denying all funding to the lecture, including Mike Flood '03 and Matt Vanneman '06, argued that the YAI members should have given advance notification of the large request and scheduled the event at a time when it was more likely to attract a large audience. The lecture is currently scheduled for the the same afternoon as one by Roe v. Wade trial lawyer Sarah Weddington.
"Just because it is a good event, doesn't mean we can fund it. I don't think we can fund it," said Flood.
"The money has to come from somewhere and it can only come from other groups that apply for funding," said Senator Geoff Walter '04.
Senator Ethan Davis '05 asked if it would be possible to remove $1000 from the Spring Formal fund. Angiolillo answered in the negative.
Flood, who is planning the formal, responded to Davis' comment. "Point of information," he said. "Would it be possible to take $500 from the BSU [Black Students' Union] and $500 from the ASA [Asian Students' Association] and some money from other clubs on campus to fund this event?" Angiolillo again answered that it would not be possible.
Flood expressed serious concern at the depletion of AAS funds and emphasized the need for a viable solution. "Maybe we need to raise our fees. Maybe we need to put a cap on what certain clubs can get. This is not the time to deal with that. Now is the time to be fiscally responsible," he said.
Flood proposed refusing all funding to several groups, finally settling on one. "I'll start with the Meredith," said Flood. "We'll have to make some tough choices," he said.
Phil Maciak '05, an advocate for Meredith, a new humor magazine, explained why it should be funded. "There is a wealth of wit and intelligence that is not being tapped for the current humor magazine [The Amherst Hamster]."
Flood stood almost alone in the vote to deny funding to Meredith, except for one concurring vote. "I'm against this [denial of funding], but I am going to say 'yes' so Mike [Flood] does not look like an idiot," said senator John Lian '06.
Next, the senate discussed a five-kilometer run/walk for diabetes organized by Peter Calloway '04. Calloway wanted funding to pay for insurance of the event, which is necessary before the College can host it. The funding was denied.
At its next meeting, the senate will discuss the constitutional amendments proposed by the Judiciary Council. These changes must go to a referendum, which will appear on the April 22 ballot.
At the end of the meeting senators Paris Wallace '04, Flood and Mihailis Diamantis '04 presented a proposal to put a referendum on the April 22 ballot requiring non-binding student body input on initial budgetary allotments each semester.
The question on the referendum would ask students whether or not they want to use a "nonbinding annual survey of where their money and interests are," according to Flood.
"Since the inception of the budgetary process the student body has questioned the way money is allocated and rightfully so," said Wallace. "This plan will allow the student body's preferences to be heard and taken into consideration while maintaining the committee's discretionary power."
Rosalyn L. Foster '05 voiced her opposition to the plan. "We already elect you [the senators] to represent us. I think [the annual vote] is putting too much pressure on the students," she said.
Senator Ben Baum '03 suggested holding the poll and using the information it would provide but not distributing the results to the entire student body.
Baum explained that students might vote and then become angry if the results were not strictly adhered to, considering the failure to follow the results as a broken promise.
Flood attempted to allay Baum's fears. "It's almost more for the marginal cases," he said.
Elan Ghazal '05 announced the College Council's decision to "close out a lot of the gathering spaces in the old frat houses ... [Because] the basements have been out of code for the past 20 years." Ghazal said that the changes, which the College will implement this summer, will create some new storage space, but for the most part areas will become restricted.
Secretary Alex Linden '04 discussed the most recent meeting of the Trustee Advisory Committee with President Tom Gerety, President-designate Tony Marx and Dean of Students Ben Lieber. The group discussed issues including student responses to the war in Iraq.
At last week's AAS meeting the senate voted to allocate $2,400 to The New York Times readership program. President Ryan Park '05 continued to serve as the primary proponent of the program. Senator Will Johnson '03 voiced his objection to providing expensive paper copies when students could easily read the newspaper online. "I can't remember the last time we funded laziness," he said. Nevertheless, the allocation was approved nearly unanimously.