The Student Government Association’s meeting Tuesday once again centered around 606 funding allocations as 21 funding applications came before the Senate.
The 606 Funding Allocation committee goes over the applications before they ever make it before the Senate.
The committee recommends an amount to give the applicant based on what the money will be used for, how many people will be affected and other factors. Sometimes, this amount is very close to the amount requested, while other times, it is nowhere near.
SGA Vice President Aaron Caton and 606 Funding Chair Diana Bowers emphasized how hard the committee had worked on the applications.
“I ask that you trust the committee’s recommendations as much as you can,” Caton said.
The Senate pulled 13 applicants off the consent calendar to be discussed.
They pulled off items were Alpha Sigma Iota, ETSU History Society, ETSU Gospel Ensemble, ETSU Catholic Center, Kappa Omicon Nu, Alpha Psi Omega, Graduate Student Association of Psychology, Phi Beta Sigma, SPDA/Art Student League, ETSU American Marketing Association, Campus Crusade for Christ, the Psychology Club and Psi Chi.
The rest of the applications were approved for the committee’s recommendations by the Senate.
They included the Survey Club, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), Beta Alpha Psi, Student Ceramic Association, Students Contributing Unmatched Buc Spirit (SCUBS), Once Again Students in School (OASIS), Tale Tellers and the Physical Education Club.
Beta Beta Beta turned in an application but was not eligible for funding because the organization did not attend the required 606 committee meeting.
The Gospel Ensemble application was tabled until the end of 606 funding due to some complications with the application.
Also, Sen. James Sheffey called for a roll call vote to be done on each application. A vote was taken, but a majority was not needed to pass Sheffey’s motion. One-fifth of the Senate had to approve, so each application was voted on through a roll call of the Senate.
There was a lot of debate over where things on campus should be of more importance than things off campus.
Kappa Omicron Nu was requesting funding to place a picnic table in front of Hutchenson Hall which caused discussion over whether the SGA should fund something that is an object and not an actual event or program.
“A bench is not an activity,” Sen. Chris Ziegler said. “A picnic table is not an activity.”
The Gospel Ensemble’s application caused disruption among the Senate and advisors alike. The Gospel Ensemble was requesting funding to supplement money received from the Student Activities Allocations Committee.
According to SAAC and SGA guidelines, organizations that receive SAAC funding cannot receive 606 funding unless certain circumstances arise.
The 606 application and SAAC guidelines said, these include unforeseen campus opportunities, special project funding or loan funding for special project funding or loan funding for special emergencies. Before the meeting, Caton had decided that it would take a two-thirds vote by the Senate to deem the event as an unforeseen campus opportunity.
The Gospel Ensemble had more members attending than they had originally planned. However, the Senate did not see this as an unforeseen campus opportunity or special emergency. “Student activity money should not be used twice to fund the same event. These are the principles behind these guidelines,” said Ziegler.
“I regret any student group experiencing something negative from the 606 Allocations process or the SGA,” Caton said.

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