A narrowly divided Associated Student Government Senate could vote for the third time next week calling for a Student Activities Fee after it failed by one vote at Wednesday’s meeting.
Elder Hall Sen. Bryan Tolles asked Senate for another vote after hearing the close results, saying he would switch his vote to be in favor of the resolution.
“My constituency told me to vote no, and I just don’t like my constituency,” said Tolles, a Weinberg freshman.
Senators have grappled for the past few weeks over how to best represent student interests in deciding on the activities fee.
A resolution to raise the quarterly fee from $33 to $40 failed to garner the needed two-thirds majority two weeks ago. Some senators had hoped to put the issue before students in a referendum, but Judicial Board members ruled two weeks ago against a campus-wide vote.
ASG officers then decided to bring the matter before Senate again with the hope they would reverse their first vote.
After the resolution failed Wednesday, some senators wanted to reconsider the issue. But fraternity Sen. Jeremy Esposito asked Senate to put off discussing the legislation until next week so that senators would not rush into a re-vote at the end of a long meeting.
“That’s not the informed, careful consideration we want to have on one of the most important issues before us,” said Esposito, a Medill sophomore. “We cannot be so fickle if we’re ever going to get anything done.”
Debate in favor of increasing the fee focused on the shortage of funds available to smaller student groups as well as continued support for other groups deserving money. Discussion against the resolution centered on students’ views on paying for more programming.
“We’re talking $21 a year,” said Nicole Mash, a Weinberg junior and Panhellenic Association senator, in favor of the increase. “The purpose of ASG is to encourage student groups to grow. We don’t want to stunt their growth, but unfortunately, with limited funds, we have to.”
In new business at the meeting, Student Services Vice President Courtney Brunsfeld and ASG President Jordan Heinz introduced a bill to determine if students want cable access through their computers.
“Most schools that have cable do it through television,” said Brunsfeld, a Weinberg junior. “(The technology’s) brand new. Nobody else is doing it. That’s one reason why we should really embrace it.”
Under the proposed plan, all students would pay $121 per year for the service.
“This is the lowest price we could have for cable,” said Brunsfeld. “If we don’t take it now, we’ll never get it.”
Brunsfeld said students in dorms and residential colleges will be polled early next week for their opinions on cable, its cost and possible channels.
In old business, senators approved a bill asking administrators to notify students with a form letter if law enforcement officers request information about them. Senators rejected an amendment which would have required notification only in cases where the requested information was not public.
The bill’s author, ACLU-NU Sen. Tina Valkanoff, said notifying students of all requests from law enforcement officials is in their best interest.
“If the FBI comes and is profiling international students, they should still be notified,” said Valkanoff, a Weinberg junior. “The details of how (the bill) would be implemented could be worked out in accordance with university guidelines.”
