SGA Debates Funding as a Show of Support
November 19, 2009 • By Ryan Platt,
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HARRISONBURG, Va. — Does giving money to an organization mean SGA supports the organization’s intentions?
That’s what senators debated during Tuesday’s meeting when JMU’s Relay for Life members asked for a grant for a letter-writing campaign. SGA distributes special program grants, which help organizations fund events that benefit the campus. Events include the Breakdance Club’s “Circles 11” and the Latino Student Alliance’s “Celebración Latina.”
The total request from Relay for Life representatives was about $5,000 and would go mostly toward food, entertainment needs such as lighting and a sound system, advertising and T-shirts. However, the senate was concerned with approximately $300 that would go to a letter-writing program, which was ultimately approved.
The Relay for Life members want students to send 1,000 letters to Virginia state representatives in an attempt to pass legislation removing tobacco products from campus convenience stores. Currently, tobacco products are available at Mr. Chips and Jemmy’s Corner Market in East Campus Dining Hall.
Senators immediately disagreed whether the additional funds should be provided in the grant, and a motion was pushed to have the $300 removed.
Sen. Lauren Waldt strongly opposed providing funds for the letter-writing campaign, arguing that such support coming from the SGA could also show anti-tobacco sentiment from them.
“It is people’s choice to smoke or not,” Waldt said. “It’s not our place to remove that right.”
Taking away tobacco products from convenience stores around campus could deprive campus residents who have difficulty getting off campus to purchase such products, she contended. Although smoking may be unhealthy, SGA shouldn’t limit students’ choice to smoke, Waldt said.
However, Sen. Adam Hall argued that the intentions of the Relay for Life program was to prevent cancer and raise cancer awareness, and that the letter writing campaign was merely a method of voicing such concepts and taking action.
Senators against the funding said it was not in the SGA’s best interest to show support of such a controversial topic, like making tobacco less available on campus.
The general opinion from those opposed was that when it came to students’ rights, they should not intervene.
Ultimately, the 20-some-minute debate resulted in the grant being passed in its entirety, including the money allocated to the letter-writing program.
The Breakdance Club received $5,000, and Latino Student Alliance received $6,125 and Relay for Life received $4998.
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