By Elliott Nguyen
Staff Writer
The Student Finance Board met on March 4 at 12:30 p.m.in room 104 of the Brower Student Center to discuss special appropriation requests from the Trentones, the Black Student Union, TCNJ Treblemakers and the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity.
The Trentones, an a cappella group on campus, requested $2,427.36 for buses and hotel rooms to attend the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella Semifinals.
This would be the third time the group attends the semifinals. The event would take place at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Del. on Saturday, March 21.
“They’re just participating in an event they worked so hard for,” said Rishi Konkesa a junior economics major and the board’s representative at large, when asked to explain this funding decision.
The board voted to fully fund the event with the stipulation that the group speak to Joey Feuerstein, the board’s administrative director, about finding lower bus prices.
The Black Student Union requested $497.10 for food, drinks and decorations to host their “Ladies’ Lunch” event.
The event will take place on Wednesday, March 25, and intends to celebrate all women on campus in honor of Women’s History Month by giving them an opportunity to network.
The board listens to requests for a cappella groups to compete. (Jhon Beltran / Staff Photographer)
The board voted to fully fund the event.
The TCNJ Treblemakers, an all-women’s a cappella group on campus, requested $4,445.10 for buses to attend the Marist College A Cappella Invitational, which they have recently been invited to for the first time. The event will take place from March 28 to 29.
“This performance is a great way for the Treblemakers to network with other a cappella groups and make connections,” said Sydney McGowan, a sophomore early childhood education and psychology dual major and the organization’s treasurer.
The board voted to fully fund the event with the same stipulation they gave the Trentones regarding bus prices.
Alpha Chi Rho requested $40,570 to host Dan Harmon, the creator of Rick and Morty. They later clarified they had overestimated the cost of security guards, and were able to reduce the requested amount to $40,010. The funds would go toward the speaker, the venue, security guards, a dinner for the speaker and a potential guest, along with other items of hospitality, according to the fraternity.
The event would take place on April 20 and would include an hour long lecture with a 15-minute question-and-answer period. The event will be free and open to students.
The board’s members were divided over whether or not to fund the event, and entertained several motions during the lengthy discussion. Several members raised concerns over the event’s cost and importance.
“I do not feel that that’s related directly to the … purpose of their organization,” said Ericka Aguilar, a junior accounting major and the board’s financial director.
The board ultimately voted to zero-fund the event.
