Two simple words: "funding" and "selective." The issue: the interpretation of these two words as they apply to the Student Organization Finance Committee's ability to grant student groups "Charter" status.
According to SOFC's by-laws, an officially Chartered organization is defined as "an organization that is dependent on DSG funding and is not selective in its membership."
The only substantial difference between a "Recognized" and "Chartered" organization is that the latter may submit an application for an annual budget.
The Duke Symphony Orchestra, an officially Recognized organization, recently requested that its status be changed from Recognized to Chartered. Twice, SOFC voted unanimously to deny DSO the change.
SOFC's rationale: DSO is selective, in that it holds auditions and can restrict membership, and it is not in need of an annual budget, as the programming fund for Recognized groups could cover (almost) all of its needs. Sorry, T-shirts not included.
DSO's argument: anyone can join DSO, some people are simply encouraged not to if their talent is not up to par and, well, it needs an annual budget.
Rarely, if ever, does the DSG Senate disagree with SOFC's recommendations. The last two weeks should not have been any different-but it was. As it should have, SOFC seriously judged DSO's request before the Senate considered it, but some stubborn Senate members made the entire process long and tedious. A definite divide began to form between SOFC Chair and sophomore Alex Crable's camp, which felt DSO should not be granted Charter status, and those who felt DSO more than deserved such status.
The major point of contention hinged on the example of sports. A clause currently appears in the SOFC by-laws that allows sports teams-some of which are highly selective in nature-to be granted Charter status.
Ay, there's the rub.
Community Liaison Daniel Bowes, a senior, challenged DSG to "address the spirit of the issue." He argued to allow deserving groups, such as DSO, to move beyond Recognized status by changing the SOFC by-laws. After all, Bowes questioned, why are sports so special?
Crable respectfully disagreed with Bowes' opinion, noting that it would make more sense to require the sports teams to be non-selective than to open Charter status to many more groups. Executive Vice President Joe Fore, a senior, who at this point stepped down from his post so that he might enter debate, supported Crable. Fore said there is neither the time nor the money available to cater to the selective groups on campus.
"I cannot comprehend how the judiciary would not see that as a direct violation of the by-law," Fore remarked, commenting additionally on DSO's selectivity.
After more debate and a roll-call vote, DSO was denied Charter status, with 24 senators voting against and 8 in favor of changing DSO's status.
What did I learn from this whole quandary?
The DSG Senate is disappointing.
I have immense respect for Crable, Fore, Bowes and many of the other Executive Board and Cabinet members. The Senate, on the other hand, it could do better.
Much of the back-and-forth at the two meetings about DSO's request stemmed from the Senate's lack of understanding of SOFC's governing rules. When asked about the most difficult part of the tedious process, Crable replied, "A lot of people just don't know the by-laws."
I don't expect the Senate to know and understand the by-laws as well as, say, Crable or Fore. But when a debate begins one week and continues the next, I would at least expect the senators who don't know the by-laws well enough to become better-acquainted with the passage imperative to the decision at hand.
The fact that it took two weeks (it shouldn't have taken more than an hour) of debate to reach this conclusion leaves me disenchanted. DSG senators, you seem to be a bit off-key. It would really make everyone's job much easier if you kept up with not only DSG happenings but also with the rules that guide them.
And on that note, thanks to most of the senators for actually coming to (and staying at) the meeting this past week. It was a much better appearance than the earlier week's lack of quorum.
Allie Vergotz is a Trinity freshman. Her column runs every other Monday.
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