Students Voice Opinions on Low SAB Account
Susan Harmon
Managing Editor
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| Photo by Susan Harmon |
| Money's Too Tight - Michael Reynolds II explains the low SAB account to students at the SAB meeting April 7. The Student Activities Board consists of students who approve or negate proposed monetary requests. |
The Student Activities Board discussed the amount of money in the account for the rest of the semester April 7.
SAB President Michael Reynolds II said the SAB tabled monetary requests during the last meeting held March 31 due to the amount pending in the SAB account.
“The money that we have left and it’s still not an exact number because it’s still pending is $1,200. That is not going to be enough to give out any more (money) because it’s the end of the semester,” Reynolds said.
Tabled
monetary requests included $2,935, requested by the Journalism
Club, for the cost of workshop materials and professional speakers for the
first University of Arkansas at Monticello sponsored Arkansas College Media
Association Spring Awards Banquet April 23. Robert Jackson,
representative for Kappa Alpha Psi, requested $3,750 for R&B singer Pretty Willy to perform
during Kappa Week May 1.
Reynolds asked students if any questions about the low account needed to be answered. No one asked Reynolds why the SAB account is low. After the meeting, students on campus responded to news of the low SAB account in different ways.
Angelia Buford, a senior social work major, said the account seems so low because money has been set aside for the Late Night Breakfast, which includes a comedian recently booked using funds that came back into the SAB account.
“I believe the changes in the SAB structure will help give constant spending throughout each semester. The purpose of the SAB is to provide student activities to the entire student body and under the restructured SAB this purpose should be easier to maintain and accomplish that goal,” Buford said.
Brittany Pickett, a senior history major said, she thinks the low funds in the SAB resulted in the neglect of having a budget report at each meeting.
“I think having the budget report at each meeting would help SAB to decide on how to spend money,” Pickett said.
The main question asked by students concerned the renegotiation of Omega Psi Phi’s $12,000 monetary request for comedians Alex Thomas, T.K. Kirkland and Cocoa Brown to perform at the Omega Psi Phi Comedy Show previously planned for March 27. Students felt more money should remain in the account due to SAB renegotiating the amount down to $3,500 for rapper Big Tuck to perform.
Zack Tucker, a political science major, said every cent of SAB funds has been approved by students in open SAB meetings.
“In regards to the request of $12,000 for a comedian performance, SAB approved the request with in contention a contract be turned into the administration, after no contact was turned in, the administration, due to the limited funds of SAB, asked the group requesting the funds to renegotiate prices and location. The group returned with a ‘bogus contract.’ In this period of time SAB, the students, approved more reliable requests and functions,” Tucker said.
Reynolds neglected to comment at the time of publication.
SAB meetings take place every Tuesday at 12:45 p.m. in the University Center House Room. For more information, contact Mindy Holcomb, director of Student Programs and Activities at 460-1396.
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