Pennsylvania State University at Capitol Campus 111 4:31 Volume 16, No. 2 SGA Merr -Go-R The By Gary Pellett The Student Government Association has definitely been active this week--in fact, it has established a new precedent for student organizations in getting money for parties not origi nally budgeted for. Unfortunately, the S.G.A. seems to be treating some clubs more fairly than others. The focus of the issue was the Groundhog Day party in the Student Center on Feb. 2, and the beneficiary of the precedent was the Meade Heights Board of Governors. In effect, the S.G.A. agreed to guarantee to make up the difference if MHBOG lost money on the Inside Information Senator Hymie Quanatnepratz offers his comments on the Finance Committee and other SGA-related topics in his column on page four. Buildin • A Buildin Phonathon Exceeds Goal By Mike Breslin More than 5,000 Capitol Camnus alumni have been receiving phone calls since February 8, when the Capitol Campus Alumni Society began its second annual alumni phonathon. This year's phonathon is being conducted to raise funds for a number of vital projects on campus, including the proposed science and technology laboratory building. The University's Board of Trustees recently named an architect for the CALL-EGE FUND-RAlSER—Sherry Janis and Mike Breslin of the Campus Relations Office helped kick off the second annual alumni phonathon last Monday evening. The phonathon has already raised $14,761, thus surpassing last year's total of nearly $9,000. The event will continue for three more evenings. "All the news that fits we print" Rich Get Richer dance. However, the way this guarantee came about left a lot to be desired. To begin with, the S.G.A. feels responsible only for money that they have promised each student organization at the beginning of the year. However, they do keep a slush fund to cover unforeseen expenses, which is usually saved until Spring Term. The S.G.A. expects all student organizations to make some attempt to augment their own budgets. Then, if the group still needs more money, it is to approach the S.G.A., who listens to the case and considers it along with the recommen dations of the Finance Committee. Since the Finance Committee must treat the S.G.A.'s budget like a business, its recommendations are often cautious. Consequently, those recommendations do not sit well with many S.G.A. members. On Monday, February 1, the Meade Heights Board of Governors appeared before the Student Government, urging that they be given the money to pay for the next night's party. They had told this to the S.G.A. the week before, so the Finance Committee had had time to decide on a recommendation. Conflicting science and technology building at Cap itol. Designated by the University's Academic Master Plan as a priority need at Capitol, the facility will alleviate overcrowding that occurs now in the campus laboratories due to growing enrollments in the science, engineering, and technology programs. The structure also will allow for the development of new science and technology courses requiring laboratory study and will make lab space available for important faculty and student research. Other projects to which alumni can contribute are The Richard H. Heindel Library, which needs periodical shelv- READER Photo By Darrell Reider reports claim that this recommendation was made only minutes before the S.G.A. meeting, and without the votes of all of the Finance Committee members. The recommendation was to not give the MHBOG the $656 it requested. Speaking for the Finance Committee, Treasurer Karen Kurek said, "The Meade Heights Board of Governors has over $3,600 in its accounts ... This party was not included in its original bud get . . . They have not attempted to raise money like a lot of other clubs have. . . so we feel that they can afford to pay for this party with the money they already have . .. This would be an unnecessary allocation for the Student Government." The Meade Heights Board of Gov ernors countered that all of its money was allocated to the upcoming "Rites of Spring" festival. They had the money they needed for paying for the dance, but they couldn't risk any of it in case they later could not pay off a contract. They pointed out that MHBOG does not believe in making any money on events, and as a service to the students they were throwing the Groundhog Day party. They were adamant that no dollar could be risked, because they wanted to ing, signs, display cases, and an audio cassette listening-learning facility; a student activities pavilion; a campus wide walkway system; and student loan and scholarship funds. The Alumni So ciety Board of Directors selected these projects as phonathon goals from a listing of projects submitted by stu dents, faculty, staff, and administration at Capitol Campus. Fourteen phones have been set up in the Campus Relations Office for the event, and student volunteers and mem bers of the Penn State Capitol Campus Alumni Society are making their calls between 6:30 and 9:45 p.m. Monday through Thursday during the two-week phonathon. Capitol Campus conducted its first phonathon in 1981 to raise funds for A new campus entrance sign on Route 230. That campaign attempted to reach alumni residing in Dauphin and contig uous counties. "Because of the success of last year's phonathon, which raised close to $9,000, we were encouraged to expand our effort. This year, we will attempt to reach all of Capitol's graduates," said Mr. William Forrey, president of Capi tol's Alumni Society. "Students have again responded to our request for volunteers for this important fund-raising effort, and we hope that the alumni, in turn, will respond when asked to pledge their support for the phonathon goals," he said. Students participating in the fund raising effort are competing for cash prizes that will be awarded to the three student groups and to the three individ uals who have the highest pledge totals. All student callers receive T-shirts and refreshments, and each will be awarded a free five-minute phone call to any where in the continental United States for each full evening of participation in the event. 18 February 1982 be sure that they had the money to back up the band contracts they wanted to sign. They said that, in effect, they had no money left at all, because all of it was already allocated. The S.G.A. suggested that the MHBOG hold the party, and then come back to them if they lost any money. But, the MHBOG was insistent that they get at least a guarantee of breaking even now, not believing that the S.G.A. would indeed give them money later. At this point, off-the-track personal remarks were made by a senator against the treasurer, and the whole debate ap peared to take on a political power clash. The final S.G.A. decision was to guarantee in advance that they would make up all of MHBOG's losses on the party, for as one senator remarked, "MHBOG does more than anyone else does anyway, so they deserve it." So there is the precedent. The S.G.A. changed its policy about paying for unscheduled events, though only for high clout student organizations. When the Resident Student Council asked for far less money to buy intra-dorm football trophies earlier this year, S.G.A. turned them down. Thus, a social structure of student clubs seems to have been de fined. Other problems surrounding this issue occur within both groups. First, do the individual S.G.A. members realize what they have done? This reporter's impression was that the vote was more emotionally than logically made. If they are going to be so easy to sell, they could end up giving away all of the S.G.A. emergency fund before they realize that it's gone. They seem to forget that the S.G.A. only gets money once a year, and ...continued on Page 4 A Point Of taw What can you do to get back your security deposit from an unscrupulous landlord? When lovers buy furniture or a stereo together and then break up, who owns what? What are your chances if you contest a traffic ticket in court? These and other legal questions of interest to students will be discussed in upcoming issues of the C.C. Reader in a column called "A Point of Law". The column will be written by Char les Petrie, a Harrisburg attorney who has taught business law at Capitol Campus. Anyone with a legal question of a general nature may send that question to "Point • of Law," c/o C.C. Reader, W-129. Mr. Petrie regrets that he will be unable to give specific individual advice without a personal consultation
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