By Laura Rodell

The student body has the right to attend Student Government Association’s annual meeting to approve club budgets, according to legislation passed Tuesday.

Previously, the annual budget was discussed and voted on in executive session, which requires the gallery of public spectators to be dismissed so that only senators are present. Furthermore, executive sessions cannot be discussed with non-senators, and its minutes are sealed. Although SGA’s policy series did not require the use of executive session, it was the method traditionally employed until now.

Under the new policy, the annual budget will be discussed and voted on in an open session before a gallery. The aim is to reinforce SGA’s accountability to the undergraduate student body, whose tuition funds club budgets. Permitting a gallery of onlookers also sends the message that SGA has nothing to hide regarding budget approvals, according to the senators who endorsed the proposal.

“Clubs should always feel like we work for them – always – and they don’t, and that’s wrong. So I think anything that moves that along is a good thing,” said Peter DiSilvio, the SGA president. “Opening up the meeting gives clubs the ability to finally say what’s on their minds. If they’re right, the numbers will be changed and if they’re wrong, they’re wrong but at least they’ll know why it went the way it did.”

After passing with a vote of 13 to 9, the measure took effect immediately in order to enable the gallery to observe and address the senate during the ensuing 2007 to 2008 annual budget meeting.

During the meeting, senators and gallery members received an outline of how much money each club was requesting and how much the SGA appropriations committee recommended allocating. The committee, which earlier held closed meetings to discuss each club’s budget, based its figures on the strength of each club’s budget presentation. Disparity between the figures meant the committee was not satisfied with some part of that presentation.

Gallery members contributed to the senate’s discussion of whether to amend the committee’s recommendations or pass them as is. Many students present at the meeting considered this direct, on-the-spot communication between clubs and senators to be invaluable. Without it, clubs only realize their budget’s shortcomings in hindsight, they said. With it, they have a chance to clarify their position – this time to the full senate, not just appropriations – before the budget goes to a vote.

“It was brought up that clubs [whose budgets are rejected] can learn from their mistakes and make appropriate changes for the following year, [but] when SGA rejects budgets, it does not offer clubs the opportunity to learn from their mistakes in the current year. So in order to make change in the here and now, the budget event must be open to students,” said Kathryn Carlson, a member of the Organization of Commuting Students.

Enabling gallery members to participate also dispels criticism that clubs that may have one or more members are also serving as SGA senators were at an advantage because they had built-in advocates at the annual budget meeting.

Those who opposed the measure contended that, given the annual budget meeting’s close proximity to the presidential election, senators running for office may be tempted to allocate more money to clubs with more members in order to court those members’ votes. That is, attracting votes and approving budgets could represent conflicting interests.

“On the surface it seems democratic because it’s factions using their political weight to gain an advantage in government, but clubs with loud voices or a large following don’t necessarily deserve the most money,” said Kathleen Hunker, fundraising committee chairwoman, adding that “a lot of other factors go into writing a budget” besides a club’s size and prominence.

Club representatives in the gallery, nonetheless, expressed ardent support for the policy.

“I think it’s definitely a big step forward for the University, and I think every club should be here tonight and maybe next year that will happen,” said Jay Rigby, production manager of Hofstra Concerts.

Carlos Cruz, co-sponsor of the transparency legislation, stands in support of openness in the budget process.