THE DEPAUW
FRIDAY, DECE MBER 9, 2 011 | INDI A N A’ S OL DE S T COL L EGE NE W S PA PER | VOL . 16 0, IS S UE 25
Student government corruption By DANA FERGUSON
“That really kind of frustrated me,” Villa said. “Every other organization that 2Q KHU ÀUVW GD\ EDFN RQ received funding had to go campus this semester, Mar- through this really intense garita Villa, former vice presi- process where you don’t get GHQW RI ÀQDQFH IRU VWXGHQW all the money you need and in government and head of the the past student government allocations board, received a has always just been funded request for thousands of dol- like a block grant of money lars for a man hired to make a for them to do whatever they new website for the student’s want to do that semester.” governing body. For years, the vice presiRather than simply cut- GHQW RI ÀQDQFH KDG VHUYHG DV ting the check as many who treasurer for the student govhad previously occupied her ernment and as head of the role had done, Villa denied allocations board. Because of the request and pointed stu- this dual position, the individdent government president ual requesting funding for the Charles Pierre to the alloca- executive board was also the tions process. The allocations one distributing the funding. board denied the request “I think it was really tough twice before Pierre gave up on because you saw money behis goal. ing spent that wasn’t OK’d, “From there I think I be- and then you kind of have came like, ‘I think I really need to choose a side,” Villa said. to look out for what they’re “Am I going to be the person telling me to just cut checks on the side that’s going, ‘You for because that’s going to be shouldn’t spend this money on me,’” Villa said. because this isn’t what the Villa denied another re- allocations board says,’ or am quest for a block fund that I going to be part of the exec student government could board that’s going to OK this use however it wanted and expense and just kind of go became skeptical of her abil- with it even though you’re ity to make decisions as head of the allocations board while she was still a member of the Corruption | executive board of student continued on page 3 government. news@thedepauw.com
Student ambassadors serve president, board and peers By MARITZA MESTRE
“When I arrived in July of 2008 I realized that one, I wanted to open the house up for as many events as possible,” Casey said. Senior Rajpreet Heir received a letter in “I wanted the house to be a place of energy the mail one day asking her to come to the and discussions and conversation, so I knew I SUHVLGHQW·V KRXVH ,W ZDV KHU ÀUVW WLPH HYHU was going to have a lot of events at the house, meeting President Brian Casey. which has proved to be very true. And, two, I Heir’s invitation to Casey’s home last needed help with these events.” spring was to offer her, and a group of her After consulting with friend and president peers, the opportunity to assume the role of of Ohio State University Gordon Gee, Casey a presidential ambassador her senior year. investigate@thedepauw.com
decided to establish the presidential ambassador program in order to create a group of students who would serve as co-hosts of these events. In order to develop this group, Casey went to Cindy Babington, vice president for
Ambassadors | continued on page 6
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