SGA approves 300 mile travel limit

Author: Adam Dede

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate voted nine to three with one abstention to approve a change to the Finance Committee guidelines that will limit student organization travel to a 300-mile radius. AnnMarie Wesolowski '08, Finance Committee chair, presented the proposed change to the Senate, who approved the measure after a full hour of what was at times heated debate.

The change is motivated by safety concerns that were first raised by members of the College administration.

"This was a policy that Ö came from the top and filtered to our level," said Wesolowski. "Students could travel anywhere they so wished, prior to this year."

Wesolowski also noted that 98 percent of student travel is within a 300-mile radius already, and that the measure's real purpose is to avoid College liability. She pointed out as well that the measure does not completely ban travel outside the limit. Funding will still be available for student groups wishing to travel long distances. However, they will be forced to take public transport rather than personal vehicles or college vans. Wesolowski did not mention how much funding would be given to long distance travel but it was made clear that independent fundraising would be necessary in some cases.

The proposed change made senators uneasy about what exactly would happen to those who wished to travel outside the limit. One example was the yearly Ultimate Frisbee team trip to Georgia.

"This may mean the Frisbee team has to fundraise," said SGA President Max Nardini '08. He went on to say that if a group, such as the Frisbee team, goes on a trip after being denied funding, even if they use personal vehicles, they may still face penalties. Nardini felt, however, that safety concerns outweighed possible inconvenience.

On another matter, Speaker of the Senate and Brainerd Senator Chester Harvey '09, who voted for the measure, felt that all references to college vans should be taken out. He argued that it was not the SGA's place to set van policy, and that it should be left to the van rental office.

"I think the same rule will come from them," said Harvey. "I think it's a reasonable rule and I think it makes a lot of sense. They're the better ones to be making that judgment. Whereas, with private cars, we fund directly."

Sophomore Senator Vrutika Mody '10 worried that students would not make the distinction between van funding and personal vehicle funding.

"It seems like it could create a loop hole," agreed Ross Senator Derek Sakamoto '10.

Harvey's amendment was defeated, and discussion was closed.

In a final statement for the opposition, Junior Senator Katie Hylas '09, one of the three dissenting votes, argued against the measure entirely.

"I don't think that it's the place of a group, that supposedly represents student interests, to be approving this top-down policy," said Hylas. "We shouldn't be limiting the people that we represent in this way, in a way that will end up costing them more money ... I just don't think it's our place. I don't think it's going to make any of our constituents happy. I don't think we should put our stamp on it at all."

Hylas was rebuffed by Nardini, who seemed to speak for the majority, when he noted the distinction between what is wanted and what is responsible.

"We're elected to do not just what would be wanted, but also what is smart," said Nardini. "I think this is a smart policy, I really do."