Seeking greater flexibility in their programming abilities or the ability to provide better services to the student body, three groups are appealing for block funding in the Student Union elections on March 26 and 27.

The Sexual Assault and Rape Anonymous Hotline (S.A.R.A.H.) and the Washington University campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity are each applying for more programming funds for their respective groups, and a group of Student Union (SU) senators are appealing for money to improve athletic facilities on campus.

The SU initiative is one of the first block funding appeals presented on behalf of a large student project instead of a specific student group. If passed, the funds would go toward eliminating the cardio fee of $45 and improving equipment in campus weight rooms.

“It seemed ironic that Wash. U. was nickel and dime-ing us to use a weight facility that wasn’t necessarily up to par with [those of] fellow institutions,” said junior Matt Goldstein, the SU senator who has been leading the initiative. “The school stresses a healthy lifestyle, so what’s more appropriate than eliminating the cardio fee and helping all students to use the cardio?”

Goldstein says, however, that the most important aspect of the initiative is that it will encourage students to take actions on campus issues that they consider important.

“If this gets voted up, this will show that not only can Student Union make an impact, but that students can be proactive in changing their campus for the positive,” he said. “This is a new way to improve the facilities, and a chance for the student body to improve campus. [It] opens up the possibility for the improvement of other issues.”

Habitat and S.A.R.A.H. are taking the more traditional route to block funding by appealing for funds for a specific program within the framework of their organized student groups. Election commissioner Mark Dudley said, however, that regardless of the appeals’ purposes, placing block funding on the ballot is a good way for groups to increase their name recognition.

“We have $2.1 million and it’s definitely available for groups,” said Dudley, a sophomore. “It’s great for groups to have access to the people, to get their cause out there and have it known.”

But Dudley added that the block funding vote also carries benefits for the voters.

“It’s important for the student body to decide as themselves how their money is going to be spent,” he said. “Block funding is a way for students to express their concerns over how their money is going to be spent.”

S.A.R.AH. has functioned as an anonymous hotline for students addressing sexual assault until this past year. The group is appealing for block funding in order to expand its programming range into a set of training sessions, called S.A.R.A.H. Safe, for faculty and students.

“With these things changing our organization, block funding would give us more flexibility with our programming, helping us to be more a part of the campus,” said junior Kavya Naini, S.A.R.A.H.’s treasurer. “It will do a lot for the student body and a lot for what we can do for the student body.”

In addition, Naini said that block funding would help to alleviate the difficulties that S.A.R.A.H. faces as an anonymous organization.

“In the past we’ve had trouble with appeals or fundraising,” she said. “Because we’ve grown so much and because we’ve partnered with so many organizations, this can help in the future.”

Habitat for Humanity will be appealing for a renewal of its block funding, which the group first requested two years ago.

“Since we’ve had block funding, we’ve had room to grow,” said sophomore Sumit Agarwal, president of Habitat. “You’re able to add events at the spur of a moment. One of the problems you see with the [SU Treasury appeals] system is that in the spring is that they run out of money really quickly.”

Among other projects, Habitat will use the funds to finance Wash. U. Build Challenge, a daylong event during which teams of students will compete to build the most creative cardboard house. Agarwal likened the event to Dance Marathon and Relay for Life in its ability to raise funds and awareness of Habitat’s goals.

“If [students] see that we’re doing stuff on campus, that we have a presence, it can really help,” said Agarwal. “If they see potential for success in this event, they’ll give us block funding.”

Agarwal added that Habitat’s fundraising efforts are not limited to the block funding campaign, though most of their efforts help the St. Louis Habitat Chapter.

“We’ve done corporate funding. We had a letter writing campaign. Most of the funding goes to our affiliate,” he said. “Block funding by no means stops our fundraising efforts.”

Popularity: 1% [?]

 Print This Post

This entry was posted on Monday, March 24th, 2008 at 12:00 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.