By Nik Nadeau

During its last meeting of the school year, the St. John’s Senate passed a motion that authorized funding for Student Activities and Leadership Development, the equivalent of 9 percent of its operating budget next school year.

The move, which senators debated extensively, increases SJS funding of SALD from $39,474 to $40,582.

“This motion is . . . us living up to a goal which we as a senate passed,” said Public Relations Representative Raj Chaphalkar, who introduced the motion. “Our option is to fund SALD or not fund SALD.” Chaphalkar added that the St. Ben’s Senate had already voted to fund SALD and that SALD would not have
adequate funding for next year’s Welcome Fest if the motion was not passed by the SJS.

Dean of Students and Senate adviser Mike Connolly also encouraged senators to approve the funding.

“My fear is that if this (motion) is tabled . . . you’ll have a pretty desolate campus from an activities standpoint,” Connolly said, referring to the first six weeks of next fall semester, during which SALD coordinates the majority of student activities.

Members of the Activities and Allocations Board (AAB) expressed frustration that the motion should undergo a vote by the AAB and not the full Senate.

Senators Sorensen, Griffin, Silbernagel, Goblirsch and Murn voted to challenge President Daly’s ruling that the motion does not belong to the AAB’s “exclusive jurisdiction.” The motion failed by a 5-9-2 vote.

SJS resolves to relinquish control over SALD funding

Immediately after the SALD funding motion passed, Chaphalkar introduced a resolution (passed 11-5-0) to encourage SJU administration to allocate funds to SALD before turning funds over to the jurisdiction of SJS.

“SALD does wonderful things for SJU and CSB students,” Chaphalkar said. “However, I don’t think it’s our job to continually have debate each year about whether or not to fund SALD.” Chaphalkar also said he was opposed to funding SALD “via a flat percentage of the Student Activity Fee.”

Regent Nick Truso said the Senate can wisely surrender control over SALD funding because it already trusts SALD to request an adequate budget amount.

“I’d propose a motion to treat SALD staff as professionals by treating them as professionals,” Truso said. “We are not trained programmers; we are not trained in student development.

Silbernagel expressed his disagreement with sarcasm, saying “Perhaps then we should surrender all control of the Student Activity fee, and allow administration to tell us in what ways student dollars can be best spent, because we don’t have the expertise.”

In an apparent effort to persuade fellow senators to strike down the motion, Vice President Kurt Sorensen held a hand-written sign reading “BLANK CHECK” while President Joe Daly read the motion aloud before the vote.

SJS admits failure to fund a responsible drinking campaign at Pinestock

JEC Representative Tyler Trettel thanked Dean Connolly and the St. Ben’s Senate for funding a “responsible drinking campaign” at Pinestock, but expressed disappointment at his own Senate’s lack of action.

Dean Connolly said he (rather than the SJS) had to purchase Pinestock staff T-shirts promoting responsible drinking, and that the administration expected both Senates’ support in future years.

“As a condition of a beer garden being permitted at Pinestock, there was an agreement . . . that (the student Senates) would sponsor a responsible drinking campaign,” Connolly said. “The St. Ben’s Senate had funded it, and the St. John’s Senate didn’t fund it. The train had already left the station.”

Sen. Trettel clarified that the lack of a beer garden at this year’s Pinestock was a result of the concert’s indoor setting, and not directly due to the lack of a cohesive campaign.

Sen. Chaphalkar apologized to the Senate for failing to forward information on the campaign to the Public Relations office.

Trettel also encouraged the Activities and Allocations Board “to reimburse Dean Connolly,” but no senator introduced a motion that would have done so.

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