Student Assembly

Dear President Skorton,

I would like to formally communicate Student Assembly Resolution 34, “Amendment to Appendix A of the Student Assembly Charter,” sponsored by S.A. Vice President of Finance Roneal Desai, Minority At-Large Representative Cameron Pritchett, and Arts and Sciences Representative Don Muir. The resolution passed 18–2−0 earlier this semester.

The resolution amends the S.A.’s charter in order to permit the Appropriations Committee, in a non-byline funding year, to give more thorough recommendations to both the Student Assembly and byline funded groups. The Appropriations Committee will alter the reports sent to both the S.A. and to byline funded groups by including whether the Appropriations Committee felt that the group’s funding should be raised, lowered, or held the same in the next byline funding cycle. This recommendation will assist and guide the next year’s Appropriations Committee and will give byline funded organizations an understanding of their current financial situation and any suggestions the S.A. may have to improve their operations.

In addition, the resolution creates a Follow-up Task Force, based out of the Appropriations Committee, that will meet with any organization recommended to receive a decrease in funding and with any other group the Appropriations Committee feels would benefit from operational changes. Many leaders of Byline Funded groups supported this measure, noting that increased communication and collaboration between the SA and byline-funded groups will benefit students and make the byline funding process more transparent.

The Student Assembly believed that increased communication between the S.A. and byline funded groups will allow these organizations will create a more transparent byline funding process. In addition, the work between the Follow-up Task Force and organizations will allow the Appropriations Committee to have a better understanding of the operations of particular groups, creating a more fair and informed byline funding process. I have attached Resolution 34 and its appendix for reference. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Best,
Adam