The recent budget crisis has caused the Student Government Association to re-evaluate some of its programs and positions.
Dr. Sally Lee, advisor for the SGA, said that she, Vice President Aaron Caton and Secretary/Treasurer Priya Ponnapula had gone over the SGA budget extensively and that things would be fine.
Currently, the cabinet and executive officers, including President Jennifer Berry, are not being paid their SGA salaries.
Caton discussed the possibility of cutting certain cabinet positions or even merging positions to create fewer positions to fund. He asked the Senate to come up with ideas.
“Nothing has been set in stone about where the money is being cut,” he said.
Caton also addressed the upcoming walkout on April 8 when students can walk out of their classes at 12:30 p.m. and congregate in the amphitheatre to discuss the current budget situation and its impact on ETSU. The event is being sponsored by SGA.
The original plan was that SGAs across the state would be sponsoring similar walkouts in their own schools.
However, the President’s Councils and SGAs across the state are not supporting the event. Caton said that they felt that it came at a bad time.
Caton addressed rumors that he had made a decision regarding ETSU’s SGA sponsorship of the event.
“I did not and will not undermine something you guys voted on,” he said.
The SGA is still the sponsor of the event despite the lack of support across the state.
“We said we would support it, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Caton said.
The USA Today Collegiate Readership Program once again came under scrutiny as the SGA tried to find a way to fund the program after recent budget cuts.
Caton told the SGA that if they chose to, they could ask for 606 funding to fund the program. This caused debate over what 606 funding should be used for.
“If 606 is supposed to be for the students, why save it,” said Sen. Bethany Jablonski.
However, Sen. Chris Ziegler requested that the money come from the SGA super fund instead, which is an account that the SGA has in order to draw money from for projects.
Of the $4 student activity fee that each student pays, $3 goes to the 606 funds while the other dollar goes to the super fund.
The SGA voted to take $5,285 from the super fund in order to fund 50 copies each of USA Today and the Johnson City Press daily on campus for one year.
“We had a great overall response to the readership program,” Caton said, “This is the SGA’s last opportunity to do something great for our fellow students.”
Lee also announced that a $1,000 scholarship was available for one SGA member because of a former SGA member’s donation. Five members were nominated and the winner will be chosen by a committee.
Sen. Lacie Tullock, chairman of the recent Relay for Life, announced that nearly 500 people were present at the event, and they raised about $7,100 for the American Cancer Society.

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