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A Behrend club was left want
ing last Wednesday when they were
turned down for over $lO,OOO worth
of funding for an annual trip. The
Society of Undergraduate Econo
mists (SUE), which run the annual
Econ Trip, had all food funding for
the trip first rejected outright by the
Student Government Association
(SGA), then vetoed by its President,
Stephen Burger.
The annual trip is partially fund
ed by SGA. However, this year's
proposal from the organization elic
ited a "no" vote from the SGA Bud
get Committee.
"The Budget Committee's opin
ion was that the proposal was very
USA China Photographic-question has
ERIC PIERCE
Staff writer
Many questions were
posed by Behrend students in
regards to students overseas,
specifically China. These
questions, along with others,
are part of the USA & China
Photo-Question Exchange
Project.
The idea of having college
students from both the USA
ANDREW TARR
Contributing writer
SUE then appealed the Budget
Committee's decision, making a
better proposal and more clarified
example of how the trip would help
business students. However, it was
a request for over $lO,OOO worth of
food that hit a wrong note with the
senate.
Aaron Morelli, a Senator elected
last spring, felt that the $lO,OOO was
unreasonable, but that compromise
could be reached.
•
"i • •. • • Am•ri . •- ' • •k• .•1 I. • •••n ,• nh• ,' sir d w•h• •. hwi . - 'Di ••. gist , •is,
and China exchange ques
tions through photos originat
ed from Jing Liu, a transfer
student from the Guangdong
University in Guangzhou,
China
"Some people in China and
Taiwan write down questions
and answers for each other
and take photos of them."
said Ling, when asked how
she came up with the idea.
"Then, I thought, 'Why don't
weak and didn't provide enough de
tail," Burger said. "The Budget Com
mittee makes recommendations on
proposals which then come to the
SGA for final approval. The senate
approved the budget recommended
by the Budget Committee which
included no funding for the Econ
Trip."
"After discussion," he said, "I
Society of Undergraduate Economists plan trip despite being refused $lO,OOO
decided it would be best to amend
the funding to a lesser amount so we
could get the Senate's vote."
Morelli's initial amendment,
which reduced food costs to $BOOO,
was rejected. After further discus
sion, he was then able to pass an
amendment of $3200 for food costs.
This amendment narrowly passed
through the Senate, with only a mar
gin of a few votes.
However, Burger then used his
presidential powers veto the amend
ment, the first time in recent history
that an SGA president has done so.
"Based upon the lengthy dis
cussion and the budget committee
guidelines I felt that it was inappro
priate to pass this budget amend
ment, and I exercised my right to
veto," said Burger. "At that point I
informed the senate that they have
we have one for American
and Chinese people?'"
The goal in that case was
to strengthen friendships and
understanding between the
two countries. Andy Herrera,
the Director of Educational
Equity and Diversity Pro
grams, explained how foreign
relationships do not just help
give us a better understand
ing of foreign culture, but
also helps bring awareness
VErI0111)
SGA President vetoes Econ Trip food fund
to exchange students here, at
Behrend.
"There is a large number of
international students here at
Behrend especially Chinese
students," Herrera said.
"These students some
times feel it is difficult to in
teract with Behrend students.
Hopefully, this will help stu
dents understand one anoth
er's diverse cultures and life
styles."
News
the right to revote if they choose and
that it would take a 2/3 majority vote
to overrule my amendment."
The senate decided not to discuss
the matter any further and President
Burger's veto stood. Morelli said
that despite the veto overruling his
amendment, he understands its rea
soning.
"Although I was originally against
the veto, after the meeting I realized
that the rules are put in place for
a reason." Morelli said. "I feel that
the decision was just and students
wanting to go on SUE's trip should
be able to pay for their own food."
Mike Lytle, a member of SUE,
represented his club's interests at
the SGA meeting. He spoke in favor
of the trip and its funding.
"My only issue is that after it got
vetoed, they could overturn the veto
If any are interested in
learning more about the proj
ect and the lives of college stu
dents in China, all you have to
do is visit the project's web
site (PhotoquestionO z i yahoo.
corn) or its Facebook page
and post a question, which
is then reviewed for appro
priateness. The answers are
then answered by Chinese
students who also participate
in the project.
with a two-thirds vote," Lytle said.
"But, everyone had already been
in the meeting for an hour, and I
did SGA my sophomore year, and
after an hour basically everyone is
checked out."
SUE was funded for hotel costs
as well as entertainment costs for a
Second City improv comedy show in
the city. They were also given money
from the Student Activity Fee (SAF)
for the trip, and the trip will con
tinue as planned; it'll just draw from
students' pockets for food money.
"A lot of students aren't too wor
ried about it. But, there are other
students, like myself, that aren't too
financially stable," said Lytle.
"I really don't like the fact that the
veto was used, but on behalf of SUE,
we greatly appreciate the money we
did get," he said.
answers
"So far, participation is
lower than expected," said
Herrera "But we have some
different ideas that will pro
vide students incentives and
easier access."
If you're interested in
learning the lives of other col
lege students from across the
world, all you need to start is
just one question.