Student Government Association 606 money comes from the $4 student activities fee that every student pays.
One dollar goes into a “Super Fund” that was originally set aside for one very large on-campus event every four years.
Presently, the superfund is used mainly to fund Homecom-ing.
After Homecoming, 606 usually gets tens of thousands of dollars a semester to allocate for student activities. Saved money is rolled over.
The amount of money in the budget right now, with two funding sessions left in the semester, is excessive.
Groups who wish to get funding come before a committee which gives their recommendation to the Senate, which then approves how much the group receives.
Some of us feel that the money should be allocated in a larger proportion to on-campus events because they will affect more students.
They believe 606 should not be diminished into a travel fund. This group feels like events on campus benefit many more students than off-campus events.
This group feels that, in the absence of promising on-campus events, the money should be saved. Saved money would roll over to the next semester and be used if there is a large request.
Once in the mid to late ’90s the SGA allocated more money than it had and this group doesn’t want to do that again.
They point out that the SGA is allocating more money this year than it ever has before and to ask to allocate even more is greedy.
Some of us feel that in the absence of requests for on-campus events, the money should be allocated to any group who has a productive purpose for it, benefiting the members of that group and hopefully a larger portion of the student body. This group feels that many students are affected by off-campus events, especially if many groups are funded.
They feel that in the absence of promising on-campus events, the money should be allocated to the same semester students who paid the fee, and help the organizations who ask for off-campus events more.
They point out that the budget is in excess of the semester income even after the first of three allocation sessions and many groups go without receiving an adequate amount of the money they requested.
This group generally wants to give out as much money as the budget will allow.
I feel that we should be doing what you (the student) want.
If you want more information, ask a senator (especially one on the committee) — you probably should ask a few to get an accurate picture of the situation.
If you have an opinion, write back to the East Tennessean.
That’s the best way to ensure that your opinion is heard without being lost or misinterpreted, and it allows other students to hear your opinion.
Tell us what you want.
Senator Kobelah Bennah

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