Executive Vice President Andrew Wisnewski presented a comprehensive revision of the Student Organization Financial Committee’s bylaws at Wednesday night’s Duke Student Government meeting. The reforms, meant to streamline SOFC and codify its budgeting and group-chartering processes, are subject to a vote April 20.
“We’re taking out a lot of the fat, trying to clarify everything,” said Wisnewski, a senior.
SOFC is an affiliate of DSG and oversees all student organization programming funds.
Among the changes co-authors Wisnewski and Senator Joe Fore, a sophomore, hope to make include lowering SOFC’s required reserves from $25,000 to $10,000, citing the former amount as “excessive.” The changes also include forming an Auditing Subcommittee to monitor student organizations and their use of DSG-budgeted funds. The chair of the committee will be selected by the Senate next year; other members will be elected in the fall by members of SOFC.
The bylaw revision also strengthens the current policy on funding for political events. DSG is prohibited in its bylaws from allocating money to political rallies or events supporting campaigns; SOFC drew criticism in the fall for funding an event in support of Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.
Although DSG determined the event was “educational” rather than partisan, Wisnewski said the reform act will tighten language and be more explicit in order to avoid another “little snafu.” Politically-themed events will still be allowed.
During the week, senators will submit questions and concerns with the bylaw to either Wisnewski or Fore.
In other business:
Vice President of Community Interaction Joel Kliksberg, a sophomore, announced Wednesday that he plans to add a new position to DSG. The latest representative will be an advocate for the University to the Durham City Council, helping to facilitate better town-gown relations. Kliksberg said his idea is modeled after similar programs at the University of Virginia, the University of Maryland and Wesleyan University. Particularly important in ensuring a similar position’s success, he said, is ramping up involvement over a set period of time.
“We need to start slowly—the big bang strategy doesn’t really work,” he said. “It’s really just a series of small things—really just a public relations issue.”
Junior Ajay Kori, head of the Student Services Committee, announced the winner of last semester’s DSG-run “Cool Idea Contest.” After choosing a winner from 442 submissions, Student Services finalized plans to throw a high school prom party Saturday, April 16.
Though the committee initially planned to place a supersized ice-skating rink on Main West—Kori cited insurance problems as preventing that event from reaching fruition—DSG has already allocated $6,000 for 10 kegs and more than 250 boxes of wine for the prom. Food, alcohol and admission will be free; the event will take place in the Class of 1980’s reunion tent.
“I don’t know about you all, but I’ve had a lot of students tell me they want something like the Brodhead ball again—and they want it done by students,” Kori said to the Senate.
DSG President Pasha Majdi said the event is a “great way” for alumni and students to socialize and improve relations.
Both Kliksberg and senior Chase Johnson, vice president of academic affairs, gave year-in-review presentations on their committees’ work. Johnson focused on projects; among them were the ePrint stapler initiative, Devil DVD and improvements in posting course evaluations. Following a letters campaign conducted by Academic Affairs Committee members, Johnson said the number of posted course evaluations increased by more than 300 percent.
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