The Statesman informing stony brook university for more than 50 years
Volume LV, Issue 23
Monday, April 9, 2012
sbstatesman.com
SBVAC funds finally approved By Emily McTavish Contributing Writer
After the resolution of a series of paperwork problems – including an address error and late audit reports – the Stony Brook Volunteer Ambulance Corps will receive the first round of checks from its 20112012 budget from the Undergraduate Student Government. SBVAC had not received any checks because it didn’t have a proper address on the contract for its budget and had not filed its audits from last semester, according to USG Treasurer Thomas Kirnbauer. The organization is required to fill out audit reports and submit them to USG because it is a Direct Pay Organization, as opposed to other clubs on campus, Kirnbauer said. The address error on the contracts, however, has gone unfixed for years, according to Daniel H. Wolbrom, chief of operations for SBVAC. “[In] the last six years, USG paid us regardless of a typo on the contract, but chose this year to hold back our payments for an additional two months because of this,” he said. “The address on our contract was for a building that no longer exists on campus. It was where we used to be located prior to 2005, but was never fixed on the contract by the USG." The issue was delayed further because the USG Senate tabled the voting for the budget several times, Kirnbauer said. SBVAC, a New York State certified ambulance corporation, serves the SBU campus and surrounding area and provides mutual aid to neighboring fire and emergency medical services departments with about 70 to 90 volunteers and three operational ambulances, according to its website. SBVAC normally receives three checks a year from USG to pay for basic life support and advanced life support supplies, the maintenance and repair of the ambulances, insurance for the vehicles and volunteers, radios and pagers for communication and other necessary expenditures, according to SBVAC President Joseph Park. However, SBVAC is only now receiving the money – halfway through spring semester. “Personally, I have not had problems receiving money," Park said. "As president the previous year as well, we received our funds with no problems." The USG Budget Committee and senate recently approved SBVAC's budget for the 2011-2012 Academic Year due to the urgency of the Continued on Page 3
ANUSHA MOOKHERJEE/ THE STATESMAN
USG has approved funds for SBVAC, an emergency response group on campus, although there were also cuts.
Students protest USG financial revisions By Margaret Randall Staff Writer
More than 60 students, mostly from sports clubs on campus, gathered outside of the Undergraduate Student Government's Legislative Review Committee's meeting on March 28 to protest a proposed revision to the Financial Bylaws. The fourth revision the Senate has considered this semester would eliminate the National Tournament Grant in an attempt "to bring the Undergraduate Student Government into better compliance with its Constitution." According to the Senate, the grant is unconstitutional because it establishes "separate criteria for club/organization funding based on the purpose of the entity." The protest was organized by CJ Kottuppallil of Seawolves Rugby, Derek Cope of Men's Club Soccer and Kathryn Michaud of Women's Club Soccer. Senator David Adams said that the National Tournament Grant violates the USG Constitution and the laws of the State University of New York because it segregates sports and non-sports clubs. He called getting rid of the National Tournament Grant "the right thing to do." He also pointed out this will not affect the clubs’ line budgets. "I understand the clubs’ concern," Senator Najee Simmons
said. Without the National Tournament Grant, clubs could only apply for an Event Grant of $1,500 maximum if the club's budget is $10,000-1,000; $2,500 maximum if the club's budget is $10,000.01-20,000; and $3,500 is the club's budget is more than $20,000. Simmons said the grant needs to be removed because it is unconstitutional, but the separate Event Grant should be modified to allow sports clubs to make up for it. “Personally I was opposed to [the legislation] completely,” USG President Mark Maloof said. “I’m happy that the clubs agree.” The National Tournament Grant was implemented in September of last year, according to Executive Vice President Deborah Machalow. The revision was brought up by Senator Jason Sockin, who was not at the meeting. After protestors stated their opinion, the Legislative Review Committee voted to table the bill until the senate could form an ad hoc committee to gather club input, which happened the next day. The committee will meet with representatives and members from clubs and organizations to hear their concerns about the revision and willthen present its findings to the Senate on April 19. From there, the Senate will decide what to do about the revision.
Low sales drive food truck away By Christine Powell Contributing Writer
A common complaint among Stony Brook University students is the lack of food choices on campus. To make matters worse, another dining option has just announced it is officially gone. After a decline in sales, the Grey Horse Tavern's food truck – a rolling kitchen that used to serve organic and local food to students on campus – is no longer a dining option at SBU, according to the Faculty Student Association. Angela Agnello, the director of
marketing and communications at FSA, said in an email that "Grey Horse Tavern will no longer be operating their mobile truck on campus as it is no longer feasible for them to do so." Linda Ringhorse, one of the owners of the establishment, said that a few factors contributed to the decision to end the business agreement. The main reason, though, was that after the truck's initial semester on campus, which was "very, very busy," sales dropped off. "It seemed to be that anyone who Continued on Page 6
STATESMAN ARCHIVE PHOTO
The Grey Horse Tavern's food truck left because of low sales.