[ Golden Gater Online - February 20, 1997 ]
Angie Magallon
Staff writer
A Pan Afrikan Student Union request for $7,000 from Associated Students to host a conference strained tensions and raised issues about funding procedure between two members of the AS board of directors.
AS President Lee Sprague and Ricardo Montenegro, finance committee chair and assistant speaker of the AS legislature, bumped heads at a board meeting earlier this month after Montenegro introduced a late request for funds that deviated from the board's standard funding procedure.
The board accepted the late request as an information item -- the step needed before any vote can be made -- but Sprague was reluctant to not follow standard procedure. Standard procedure for a request of any AS funds requires an organization or program to notify AS seven days in advance of a meeting.
Because of several problems finalizing the hotel and contract, PASU members said they brought their request for funds as soon as they could.
"I don't feel comfortable with students making requests at the last minute and obligating board members to make a decision on large amounts of money in a short amount of time," Sprague said at the meeting.
Sprague explained that regular procedures for the funding requests were in place to allow enough time for research and discussion among board members. Moreover, he said that because there were many events planned this semester that AS had wanted to fund, the $7,000 for PASU may not be there.
At press-time Wednesday, a vote on whether PASU will get the funds was scheduled to be held at the bimonthly board meeting.
But Montenegro said that money was available for the conference, and that Sprague had made a similar exception to funding procedures when he approved the late request for $4,000 by a student organization, Refuse and Resist, for a Proposition 209 debate last fall.
Montenegro said that Sprague had set a precedent when he approved the funds for Refuse and Resist and that now Sprague was trying to deny PASU the same process.
Sprague said that his reasons behind funding Refuse and Resist were that 209 immediately affected everyone on campus, and that it was something everyone could participate in and learn from.
"All student issues are important," Sprague said. "We try and fund events that encourage campus involvement and student participation."
Kellie Jones of PASU said that even though this conference will not be held on campus it will accomplish all those things.
"We've worked hard to get the bid to host this conference," Jones said. "We've even decided not to hold any major events for Black History Month because this conference can offer a lot more."
The 15th Annual Afrikan/Black Statewide Student Alliance conference will be held in Oakland at the Park Plaza Hotel April 10-13 free of charge to SF State students. Total cost for the A/BSSA conference is $42,000. PASU is asking for the $7,000 needed for the down payment of the hotel.
If PASU gets the money, the group will for the first time host the conference that typically draws student organizations from colleges all across California.
A hip hop concert, a rally at the State Capitol Building in Sacramento to address 209, 184 (Three Strikes) and welfare, as well as workshops and panel discussions are planned.
PASU members need to have the down payment by February 20 or they will lose their bid.
Sprague said that he did want PASU to get the money, but at the same time worries about excluding other programs and organizations in the future by putting a chunk of AS funds into this conference now.
"I have never vetoed anything when it is in support of students," Sprague said. "But I am really concerned with Montenegro's process and fairness."
Sprague said that Montenegro had brought requests for funding to the board several times out of process and has showed favoritism to certain groups while other groups are not getting access.
Montenegro denied he was playing favorites.
"Everyone is open to the access of funding," he said.
[ Golden Gater - February 20, 1997 ]