Funding decisions for student organizations from the Student Association’s Finance Board, originally planned for Nov. 29, have been postponed at least one week, if not longer, due to charges filed by the leader of a student organization against outgoing Comptroller Maggie Misztal.

The charges are being brought by Jason Jackson, president of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, according to a document obtained from SA parliamentarian Joan Gabel.

While the exact charges are not known, an e-mail sent to Misztal from SA’s Judicial Review Board stated that she was being charged for making personal attacks against Jackson. The e-mail also said that there was an accusation that finance board members had been approached and their opinions swayed while outside of board sessions.

‘Right now the whole budget process is being delayed,’ Misztal said. ‘Once classes are done, there’s nothing we can do. I hope we can get this done fast. Otherwise groups will not know how much funding they will get next semester.’

The charges were approved for review by a unanimous vote Wednesday by the three members of SA’s JRB, which is made up of students who were appointed by SA but are independent from it, according to Gabel, who oversees administration and procedural matters as parliamentarian.

The earliest the JRB can make a decision on the charge will be Nov. 29, according to the SA Code of Statutes, which mandates a five school-day break to give both sides a chance to prepare their cases, Gabel said. According to the code, however, a decision must be made by Dec. 4, Gabel said.

The possibility of a long delay before a decision can be made worried Misztal, as budgets must be approved by Dec. 10. With the charges blocking the finance board deliberation process, funding recommendations may not be made in time and student organizations could not receive their funding.

‘If we get it taken care of very fast, it will just be delayed a week,’ Misztal said. ‘I think everyone understands how important it is to get things to done fast. We need to get to the deliberating as soon as possible. I don’t want to go back and forth with the administration; I just want to deal with it so we can get through budget.’

Misztal said she is currently corresponding via e-mail with the head of SA’s JRB, Greg Hoofnagle, to further speed up the process. Hoofnangle left Syracuse on Thursday due to a family emergency.

There will be a meeting between the JRB, Jackson and Misztal on Monday to see if issues can be resolved. But any possible resolution will have to come between the two parties, Gabel said.

‘If both sides don’t agree then they’ll have to go onto the second stage, which is a hearing,’ Gabel said.

Hoofnagle is currently drafting a letter notifying student organizations of the delays, according to Misztal.

Jackson could not be reached for comment.

Published on November 18, 2004 at 12:00 pm