More than half of the Syracuse University student activity fee has been awarded to campus organizations after Student Association general assembly members approved budget appeals on Monday night.

Members met in the Hall of Languages to discuss the SA Finance Board’s budget decisions on appeals filed by student organizations dissatisfied with or denied original funding requests. The approval process took less than 30 minutes, much shorter than in previous years, said SA President Dylan Lustig.

“Sometimes these meetings are short and sometimes they’re long,” Lustig said. “It all depends on if the comptroller has control of the room and how willing the assembly is to cooperate.”

Of the student organizations that did not receive funding because of issues with the original proposals, 24 received the full amount requested after the appeals process.

Of the $392,712.76 available for spring 2013 appeals, $184,329.20 was allocated to student organizations, according to record of SA’s Finance Board minutes.

The Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity will receive $46,808 for a campus event, La L.U.C.H.A. will receive $15,239 for a speaker event and the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity will now receive $11, 618 for a banquet, according to the minutes.

But 19 student organizations did not receive funding after going through the appeals process. Three of these groups, the Korean American Student Association, the Student African American Society and the Haitian American Students Association, did not receive funding requested for concerts.

After budget approvals, representatives from the Slutzker Center for International Services spoke to SA members about the importance of reaching out to foreign students.

“International students across the United States are enrolling in universities at an all-time high,” said Pat Burak, director of the center.

But although the number of international students is increasing, SU isn’t making appropriate accommodations and many non-American students have a hard time fitting in, Burak said.

“Some international students find themselves friendless,” she said. “They have so many struggles when adapting and we want to address the issues.”

Burak said more international activities, such as watching events like the World Cup, should take place on campus. She said she plans to get more American students involved in her international student mentor program in order to improve the connection between international and domestic students.

“When you put yourself among people who don’t know you and don’t know your language, there’s a lack of engagement,” Burak said. “U.S. students have to reach out, and international students must reach out, too. There’s a reluctance on both sides.”

Lustig said the meeting tonight was “a step forward in bridging the gap between American students and international students.” He also said segregation has been a big issue on campus and students should view learning about a new culture as an opportunity.

“Knowledge brings tolerance,” he said. “Knowledge brings this whole understanding of culture.

In other business, the SA Library Advisory Board has been working with library officials to obtain new furniture for learning commons (the lower two floors) of E.S. Bird Library, improve library safety and security, and discuss cleaning library facilities.

 

Published on November 13, 2012 at 1:17 am

Contact Anna: [email protected]