LIZ ANASTASIADIS, Managing Editor—This is the DCGA update promised after the first meeting of the 2019-20 school year on September 10 in our September 11 print and online edition regarding DCGA’s plans for a re-design process. Here’s what happened:
As previously reported in The Denisonian, DCGA’s budget appeals during spring 2019 were deemed unethical due to discriminatory comments made by the students who held seats on the Finance Committee. This prompted group #OccupyDCGA to form and attempt a constructive dialogue about what could be done.
Students left the 2018-2019 school year unsure if their organizations will be funded next semester.
The first meeting of the academic year was held in the Curtis Provost Dining Room; the same location as the #OccupyDCGA meeting that addressed several student concerns including student organization budgets on April 30, 2019.
DCGA President Owen Crum ‘20 proposed a new committee on Tuesday, September 10 to overlook the students during the process of budget appeals, made up of three students to be elected during the September 17 meeting and three administrators; Dean of Students Bill Fox, Director of Multicultural Student Affairs and Assistant Dean of Students Trinidy Jetter, and Interim Associate Provost for Diversity & Associate Professor Veerendra Lele. This committee will be named the Ad Hoc committee.
As reported in The Bullsheet on September 13, during the meeting on the 10th, there were two amendments made by class senators Nathaniel Beach ‘20 and Sam Rodriguez ‘22.
Beach’s amendment proposed to have five students sit on the committee rather than three to prevent the possibility of tie voting, which was passed by a unanimous voice vote.
Rodriguez started a discussion about whether people who were members of organizations appealing could still sit on the committee.
The DCGA discussed what a member of an organization would be and therefore voted unanimously that a member is defined as a member if they attended at least two-thirds of an organization’s meetings.
“The Ad Hoc committee is the beginning of a joint effort by key stakeholders on campus to help complete the Student Activities budget for the 2019-2020 school year,” says Crum. “The committee is direct action and a practical exercise in our democratic principles. Its work represents a community coming together to overcome our own difficulties and I’m excited to see their finished recommendations for the senate.”
The Ad Hoc Committee will be going through the appeal process until October first. Until then, the DCGA will be focusing on the re-design process and facilitating an ongoing discussion on the organization’s bylaws and constitution throughout the school year.
The DCGA meeting was held on Tuesday, September 17 in Higley Auditorium.