By Kassondra Granata
Last week’s Student Government Association meeting ran smoothly as the senate passed all seven finance committee recommendations with little debate.
During New Business, Sen. Kory Mills opened up the discussion motioning to approve the CCSU Marketing Club’s fundraising loan. Mills said that the club promised to pay back the loan to the SGA at the end of the year. With no discussion the motion passed unanimously.
Sen. Ryan Baldassario then motioned to pass two finance committee recommendations. Again, with litte discussion, the motion to pass the Habitat for Humanity contingency request and the soccer club’s budget passed unanimously.
Sen. Kory Mills then took the floor moving to pass two other finance committee recommendations. One was to allocate $1650 to the men’s rugby club with $450 going to registration and $1250 going to hotel and transportation. The second was to allocate the ultimate frisbee club $600 to the coaching line item. With no discourse, the motion passed unanimously with two abstentions.
Taking a turn, the senate initiated a conversation on a finance committee recommendation in regards to Hillel, a CCSU club that focuses on jewish life. Sen. Kory Mills motioned to allocate Hillel $2750 to be used for a program. The club plans on showing the documentary “My So Called Enemy”, directed Lisa Gossels and hopes to bring Gossels to the event.
Sen. Baldassario opposed the motion.
“I like the idea of the event,” said Baldassario. “I just think that it is a little too expensive.”
In response, Sen. Mills said that since the documentary’s topic is such a large one and there was an anti-Israel protest earlier this semester, Hillel wants to bring the director. Mills said that they see it as a high priority.
Sen. Bobby Berriault agreed with Mills.
“This is a good thing to do,” said Berriault. “After all of the protests in the Middle East, as well as on campus, it is an educational opportunity for the students at this school.” Berriault also said that the documentary is unbiased and “strictly educational.”
The senate passed the motion with 21 yes-votes, seven no-votes and five abstentions.
Sen. Brian Choplick moved to pass the finance committee recommendation to approve LASO’s (Latin American Student Organization) Co-Sponsorship request in full. With little debate, the motion was passed with 26 yes-votes, two no-votes and five abstentions.