At its Wednesday meeting before Spring Break, the Student Finance Board (SFB) passed a motion 13-0-2 to fund the College Republicans' $15,002 request to bring three-time presidential candidate Pat Buchanan to speak at the College on April 20.
The organization originally requested $14,501.14 for the event, anticipating income from 200 students and 100 non-students. The board, however, agreed that tickets should be available primarily to students.
"Any student that would want to go should go first," Julia Pratt, executive director, said.
Because it is SFB policy not to give an organization more funding than it requests, the board passed a motion 14-0-1 to suspend the bylaws, giving the College Republicans an additional $500 to cover what the non-student income would have been ($5 per person).
The board was confident in the potential success of the event and suggested that the Music Building, the College Republicans' intended location due to the unavailability of Kendall Hall, would be too small a venue.
"I would really like to see this in Kendall Hall," Erica Klazmer, sophomore representative, said.
Because the College Republicans noted Buchanan's flexibility in terms of scheduling, the board's motion contained a stipulation that such a high-volume event must take place in Kendall Hall.
The board also noted that funding would have to be taken out of a separate line for Campus Police to provide officers for an event of this size.
The Physics Club was fully funded $1,000 to invite Lawrence Krauss, well-known author and authority on physics and cosmology, to speak on the controversial issue of intelligent design at the College on March 28.
After tabling the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students' (MAPS) request to attend the 41st Annual Medical Education Conference of the Student National Medical Association at last week's meeting, the board tackled the request of $2,359.80.
Although the organization would host an on-campus presentation upon returning from the conference, members were reluctant to see the difference between MAPS' request and the many other conference requests.
"It doesn't merit any more funding than we would give to someone else," Steve Viola, Student Government Association representative, said.
Another issue that agitated board members was that the School of Science had already agreed to pay for three students to attend the conference. This left the board wondering why the school could not fund the entire request.
Because SFB policy is to fund advisor costs for conferences, a motion was passed 12-2 to fully fund the advisor and four of the eight students attending the conference for $741 ($541 for the advisor plus $200 for four students, at $50 each).
SFB could not fund the club president, Kobi Wilmot, who is also SFB's management director, because it does not fund seniors attending spring conferences.
The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) requested $1,400 to host "The Yellow Dress," a one-woman play addressing issues of sexual assault and violence.
Though several members agreed that the event would be a success, some board members did not believe that IVCF should host an event that does not correspond with its mission statement.
"It doesn't make sense for IVCF to sponsor this event," Jon Borst, administrative director, said, citing that while the program is valuable, it would make more sense for the Women's Center or White Ribbon Campaign to sponsor.
Despite disagreement over mission statements, the board passed a motion 9-6 to fully fund the request.
"I think we're getting a little too picky really," Pratt said. "I care more about the program than what organization is asking."
Individuals for Diversity and Equality Awareness in Learning requested $392.50 to cater a faculty/student panel on disability issues in higher education on March 28. A motion for $285, the original amount requested minus one food platter, ultimately passed 14-1, after a vote for full funding failed 6-9.
The German Club requested $640 to attend a German opera in New York City.
The board unanimously voted to fund only the transportation costs for the trip (parking for three College vans and fees for the New Jersey Turnpike and Holland Tunnel), totaling $73.
