After a heated backlash from senators, University administrators, and some students, the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate announced last Thursday that it would amend its decision to give $800 to a student group for a charitable cause.
The Senate originally agreed to co-sponsor a Tufts Association of South Asians (TASA) fundraiser for earthquake relief efforts in India. But, after concerns were raised about the legality of Sunday's decision, the Senate and TASA came to a mutual agreement to put the $800 towards organizing a charity event rather than sending it directly to India.
Senate President David Moon and Treasurer Michelle Shelton spoke to TASA members last Wednesday with the hope of working out a new arrangement. "In response to student sentiment, we responded and put the money towards an event to help them raise charity money," Shelton said. "They agreed to let our funds co-sponsor their culture show instead."
The unusual Senate action was precipitated by criticism that this $800 charitable donation represented almost half of the body's total $2,000 co-sponsorship budget. A number of students, some of whom are assumed to be senators themselves, posted their discontent on the on Brian's Rumors Daily (ITALICS), an anonymous online forum.
It was on the forum that Moon announced the Senate's decision to revise the funding vote. He wrote there that the allocation was "bad and probably misguided."
TASA came to the Senate last week to ask for $1,000 of co-sponsorship funds to add to the sum of money that was raised to aid victims of the Indian earthquake. This money was to supplement over $800 dollars that students donated in Carmichael, Dewick-MacPhie, and the Mayer Campus Center. After a contentious debate, the Senate voted 12-6-5 to give TASA the money.
While no one disputed the need to send aid to India, senators remained divided on the amount of money to give and the means to donate it. "I felt that it's a very humanitarian cause and a precedent should be set," said Gautam Kitchlu. "As student leaders, we should donate money to help people whenever possible."
Kitchlu, however, was among x senators who despite belonging to both TASA and the senate, did not recuse themselves.
Senator Allesandro Terezoni thought otherwise, and voted against the initiative."I felt that it was fiscally irresponsible to give that much, especially while looking at what we left in [the] co-sponsorship [budget]," he said.
The Treasury bylaws state "[The student activities] fee is comprised of the money collected by the University from each student for the express purpose of funding student activities."
Some students were disturbed, however, by the senate's decision to allocate student activities money to a charitable cause.
While re-allocating the money, Moon defended the senate's action. "The intent for the money is still upheld," he said.
"While I acknowledge the senate should not make a precedent out of giving student activities money to charity, the noble thing to do would be to uphold the amount democratically decided by the body."
The Senate's $800 will now go towards covering expenses related to the TASA culture show in March, which is expected to cost nearly $3,500. Lowering the expenses for show organizers will mean that there is additional income from ticket sales to go toward earthquake relief.
The Senate establishes a co-sponsorship fund every year to help support student groups who need additional financial assistance. At the time of the TASA vote last Sunday, $1,400 remained. However, two other groups asked for money as well last Sunday, totaling $2,500 of requests.
Senate regulations demand that each request must be handled independently and without regard for the remaining funds in the budget.
One of the other groups that came to the Senate seeking co-sponsorship was the Tufts University Spirit Coalition (TUSC). The group sought financial help for its April Tuftonia Day fireworks show and asked the Senate for $1,000. They received $200 from the Senate and an additional $300 from the president's discretionary fund. TUSC Co-Chair Randi Wiggins said that she felt as though TUSC got slighted because the Senate gave $800 to TASA.
"[The TASA co-sponsorship vote] definitely had an impact on what we got," she said. "We asked for money that would fund a program that would benefit the entire community. It's not a small group that the money is going to, it's the entire student body."
TUSC needs to raise $3,500 for the fireworks show and will need to continue searching for more funds. "There is also a chance we will now need to ask the Senate for buffer funding to cover costs," Wiggins said.
Regardless of the Senate's actions, both Wiggins and Co-Chair Paul Fridman, who is also a senator, insist the April 26 fireworks will still occur. "It will still happen. We just need to beg a lot more people for money now," Fridman said.
Fridman abstained from all co-sponsorship votes last week, including his own group to avoid a conflict of interest. Some senators though, including Kitchlu, who were involved with TASA and Indian fundraising efforts did not remove abstain from voting.
TASA is one of the largest cultural organizations on campus and represents the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The group hold events throughout the year to raise awareness for South Asian culture.
The earthquake in India, which hit 7.9 on the Richter scale, has left nearly million people homeless, according to the United Nations. They also predict 30,000 people have died from the Jan. 26 quake.
