http://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/upimage/RG9-9-00-3_38_59_1988_p1.pdf

Media

Part of BSU Could Regain Its Funding, March 2, 1988

Text

BSUCould
Regain Its
Funding
By DOUGLAS OATHOUT
Managing Editor

A loophole in the Student
Association Constitution may leave
open the opportunity for the Black
Student Union to obtain partial
funding for the 1988-89 academic
year.
Student Association Treasurer
Amy Hennisch said last week that
BSU would not be funded during
the 1988-89 academic year due to
its failure to follow budgetary
guidelines as established in the SA
Constitution.
The Black Student Union was
not included in the budget because
it failed to submit a request to the
treasurer by the deadline. Hennisch
said any attempt to include it in the
budget could mean violating the SA
Constitution.
But,'' (the Constitution) doesn't
say that any group that doesn't
submit a budget request shouldn't
be funded," claimed Bob Tahara,
SA Senate chairman.
"It is possible that (BSU) will get
some funding, but I don't know
how much or where it will come
from," he added.
However, Hennisch cautioned
that funding BSU '' could still pose a
Constitutional question.''
Tahara noted the Senate has the
power to restore funding, but was
skeptical about its chances.
''What they missed was the
deadline to be included in the
treasurer's preliminary draft ... and
what the treasurer recommends is
'not binding on the Senate," he said.
Theoretically, he added, the
Senate '' can take the treasurer's first
proposal and turn it totally
around.. .the Senate has the power
to approve and amend (the budget)
and it can change any line."
However, he was skeptical of
BSU's chances for getting funded
should the budget pass through the
Finance Committee and budget
hearings without a line being added
for the organization.
''If the treasurer recommends
(after Finance Committee review)
that (BSU) doesn't get a budget,
chances are they will not get a
budget or if they do, it will be very
small," Tahara said.
Since a new SA treasurer will be
elected in two weeks, Hennisch
suggested the issue could depend on
who gets into office.
''The person corning into office
could influence the final appearance
of the budget," she said.