Association Discusses Student Bill of Rights
November 21, 2008 by Justine Garbarino 
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Student Fee Allocation Board Updates General Assembly on State of Funds
The Student Association General Assembly made plans to continue discussions on the proposed student bill of rights and received an update on student fee allocations from the Student Fee Allocation Board at their meeting Tuesday night.
Delegate Andrew Platt presented a student bill of rights to the General Assembly.
The Student Fee Allocation Board presents a summary of the money they allocated over the past month. Ryan J. Reilly / Tower Staff
“This was the first reading of the bill, so this is not its final form and has yet to be adopted,” said delegate Ryan Winn.
Delegates in the General Assembly expressed their concerns over certain articles in the bill of rights, especially article 11, which states that the Department of Public Safety should not have the same policing powers for off-campus students as they do for on-campus student residents.
“There are kids that live in Maryland and Virginia. Is DPS going to go out there?” said delegate Joe Manning.
“Article 11 is in the student handbook, and it’s very clear in here that the University has the right to take appropriate action,” said delegate Charlie O’Neill. “Why is if in here if we can’t amend the student handbook?”
SAGA Speaker Afifeh Alaween focused the discussion. “I think the big issue is that the University not manipulate what the handbook says to their own benefit,” said Alaween. “There is a level of appropriateness that the University has.”
Winn agreed with Alaween. “I think the goal behind Article 11 is to say as University students we are all liable,” he said.
“Students don’t know what their jurisdiction is and something like this is absolutely necessary,” said Alaween on the article.
Discussions will continue as the bill of rights will be brought to the student life committee for review. The bill will be ready for the next assembly meeting, Dec. 2, said Platt.
SFAB presented the General Assembly with allocation reports for student organizations. SFAB, for the fall semester, has given out less than 200,000, according to Betsy Homan, president of SFAB.
Delegates of the General Assembly pointed out associates of SFAB need to work more closely with their organizations, as well as streamline the presentation process organizations have to go through in order to get money. There was also concern among the delegates that certain organizations are receiving too much money, particularly $119,000 allocated to Program Board this semester.
“That’s a lot of money that I don’t think students are seeing,” said Delegate Courtney Martin. “It looks to me that you give Program Board what they asked. I think you should encourage them to spend their money a little differently.”
“In Program Board’s defense, all their events have been hugely successful,” said Homan. Homan mentioned the sold out BJ Novak show, as well as Movies on the Mall and the purchase of a movie screen as examples of their success.
SFAB also recently allocated Take Note $11,055 to record an album.
The General Assembly also questioned SFAB on their appointment process. Rachael Staab, who was appointed to work with club sports, is taking the place of a senior representative who stepped down from her position.
“Where do you get that authority?” asked Alexander Pinnix, concerning the need find a replacement quickly. “I understand your need, but for you to just assume you could do something, is frankly wrong,” said Pinnix.
Homan recognized the appointment may have not been done in the most technically correct way and wants a formal process on filling vacancies.
SAGA also presented legislation for a Red Box, a self service DVD rental machine, on campus, presented congratulation to the University’s libraries and passed a bill to display more information about SAGA members to students.
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