By Samantha Neudorf, Special to the Chronicle
“Could it be better? Yes. Could it be worse? Yes,” declared David Zuniga, President of Hofstra’s Student Government Association, after he and club leaders were dismissed on May 1 for Senate deliberates on the club office relocation proposal. Following the clubs’ appeals, Senators Megan Kennedy and future SGA president Tevon Hyman refused to provide comments at the time.
The SGA Senate revealed a new plan to relocate 25 Hofstra clubs to new offices last Thursday. This plan was created to accommodate 40 clubs and foster community amongst everyone. In March, clubs submitted applications about office space as protocol to SGA. The clubs say they discovered the new plan of relocation five days ago.
“I think there’s no reason why the spaces should be shared. There’s no space for every club,” said Peter Libman, Dean of Students.
Club leaders think otherwise. At tonight’s meeting in the Multipurpose Room, club leaders address their concerns with SGA’s plan in one-minute appeals. Some noted a revised clubs relocation plan made by the Chronicle and Nexus Yearbook.
Among the leaders is Max Sass, editor-in-chief the Hofstra Chronicle.
“I’m very conflicted, even after voicing my opinion to the Senate,” he said. “I feel that we were allowed to speak but they were not necessarily listening to what we were saying.”
Other clubs present included Nexus Yearbook, The Pride Network, Ha Ha Hofstra, Hofstra Gospel Ensemble, Collegiate Women of Color, and Hofstra Quidditch.
Christian Fuscarino, founder and current president of The Pride Network is skeptical about the proposal as well. If the proposal passes, The Pride Network will share space with Nexus, Hofstra Afrikan Student’s Association, and the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association in Room 203, the current office of the Chronicle. However, Fuscarino would like his club to have its own office.
“[The office] is a safe space for students to feel comfortable and talk about other issues,” he said. “I hope that SGA will look past their own interests and support the interests of the clubs.”
Lisa Guarrieri, Club Relations chair, delivered an explanation with her committee’s proposed plan following the clubs’ appeals.
“I understand it was not a perfect system, which is why we have changed it and we are willing to change it for the future, obviously,” she said.
Hofstra alumni have expressed their opinions of SGA’s proposal with letters to the organization. Adjunct journalism professor and former sports editor of the Chronicle, Chris Vaccaro feels the same as Sass.
“Diminishing the size of the [Chronicle’s] office is counterproductive for the health and well-being of the Chronicle’s office,” said Vaccaro in an emailed statement.
The Senate remains in deliberation between the first proposal and a submitted proposal by Hofstra Chronicle and Nexus Yearbook.
UPDATE 10:56 p.m. as posted on the Hofstra Chronicle’s official Facebook:The Hofstra Student Government Association has come to their final decision about club offices. Further details will be released later on. The Hofstra Chronicle will stay in their current office of Rm. 203, to be shared with Nexus Yearbook.
Danielle Natorski, 2012-2013 president of Newman Club, reads hear appeal to SGA. (Cody Heintz/The Chronicle)
