RUSA Report April 2: Funding guidelines bill revived, passed

In the last legislative meeting of the semester, the student assembly passed a controversial bill to change the student organization funding guidelines in a rare move to revive the bill after it failed to pass last week.

The assembly also passed two standing rules changes as presented last week, as well as two bills to fund a few end-of-year RUSA events. The assembly also confirmed three Judicial Council members nominated by RUSA President Christopher Godoy.

Student organization funding bill passed

The student organization funding bill was passed as it was presented and amended at a meeting last month.

The bill makes changes to the student organization funding guidelines, including creating an audit system within RUSA and several smaller changes.

The bill also changes a long-standing rule that student organizations funded by the governing councils of professional schools operated under different guidelines. With the bill’s passing, all student organizations must comply with RUSA’s guidelines.

The bill originally failed after assembly members and governing councils argued that governing councils have better knowledge of the needs of the student organizations they fund, as well as that it would make governing councils obsolete. Last week, 29 members voted against, 27 voted for, and two abstained.

During Thursday’s meeting, multiple RUSA members, including President Godoy and Allocations Board Chair Anisha Saple, urged the assembly to vote on the bill again, a rare move as RUSA typically does not revote on failed legislation.

Supporters of the bill said several student organizations are relying on those guideline changes both to allow for planned events and maximize their potential funding. Some speakers said they heard directly from student organization leaders, who said they decided to support the bill after learning more about its contents.

Opponents of the bill argued that other student organizations opposed the bill and would rather work with their governing councils.

Rutgers Formula Racing (RFR), a student organization funded by the Engineering Governing Council, was discussed at length after supporters and opponents claimed the organization supported their side. RFR President Sheza Bajwa admitted that her organization voiced both support and opposition to the bill at different times, but came to the final decision that they were against the bill, even if it meant restrictions on their funding.

Mason Gross Representative Kai Cleary expressed confusion of the intent of the bill, and said supporters of the bill have argued different intents during the bill’s presentation. Presenters maintained that the changes were made in the best interest of organizations, not to make sweeping systemic changes. 

At one point during debate, Godoy and Parliamentarian Vinya Lingamneni expressed frustrations with assembly members creating their own interpretations of bills and amendments. Godoy and Lingamneni reminded attendees that the only relevant readings of the bill are made by the legislation authors before it is passed, and the Parliamentarian or Judicial Council after it is passed.

After some debate, the assembly voted in favor of reviving the bill. The bill passed with 27 for, 11 against and one abstaining, reaching the two-thirds majority required to pass standing rules changes.

Other legislation passed

The assembly passed two standing rules changes as presented last week. 

One bill targeted specific changes to executive board positions, including the responsibilities of RUSA Secretary and the requirements to run for RUSA President. The bill passed with 33 for, 3 against, and 3 abstaining.

The other bill to change the standing rules cleaned up imprecise language about the powers of Parliamentarian in relation to the Allocations Board. The bill passed with 35 for, 1 against, and 1 abstaining.

The assembly also passed legislation to fund student government events in the last weeks of the academic year.

The first allocates $4,000 for the C4 Gala, a social event for the RUSA cultural councils, on April 9. The second allocates $2,000 for the State of the Assembly event on April 16.

Both event funding bills were passed with unanimous consent.

Godoy nominated three students to the Judicial Council: Samrine Shoha, Malaysia Rice, and Norma Sarofiem. The assembly agreed to confirm the nominations with unanimous consent.

The April 2 meeting was the final legislative session for the 19th student assembly. Meetings will continue to the end of the semester, but no new legislation will be heard.

The full meeting minutes for the April 2 meeting can be found here.