Students absent

Three ASI representatives lose IRA committee votes

A committee that will hand out nearly $200,000 to campus clubs and organizations this semester will have the input of only one student because the other student representatives have failed to show up for the meetings.

According to Carolyn Pittman, member of the Instructionally Related Activities committee and university budget officer, student representatives Dan Freschi, director of the Student Access Center, and Jeremy Brickner, ASI director of undeclared students, have not attended the last two meetings.

Members of the Instructionally Related Activities committee decide which clubs and organizations get a piece of the $185,336 fund which is generated by student fees each semester.

Because such a large portion of the fund comes from students, student representatives fill four of the eight seats on the committee.

Besides Freschi and Brickner, two other students – Gary Davis, Associated Students Inc. president, and Kim Shaw, ASI vice president of University Affairs – sit on the IRA committee.

As ASI president, Davis automatically has a seat on the committee. Shaw, who did not attend the last IRA meeting last Tuesday, appointed all student members including herself.

Davis was the only student representative present at the last meeting during which the committee listened to six presentations from various clubs and organizations lobbying for funding.

“It’s disappointing because we’ve got a lot of student money to spend, and the members should make these meetings a priority,” said Davis.

According to Pittman, if members are not in attendance they are not eligible to vote on a procedure in the past.

The IRA committee will meet May 12 to discuss the disbursement of the funds.

The Instructionally Related Activities committee reviews applications from different clubs and organizations at CSUS and decides how to allocate at least $300,000 each year to those organizations.

Last year, the IRA committee allocated $392,425 to 20 clubs and organizations at CSUS.