The International Student Organization (ISO) received emergency funding needed to hold a welcome back event at the beginning of the 2009-10 academic year during Tuesday's Associated Student Government (ASG) senate meeting.
ISO, a two-month old student organization, originally requested $2,585 during the administrative funding cycle. The money would be used for the group's meet-and-greet for international students. ASG denied funding citing the administrative cycle doesn't fund money for events.
ISO appealed ASG's decision April 21 and the ISO case was sent to the ASG funding committee, where they decided to approve the emergency funding request of $1,723.33.
According to Andrew Ferguson, ASG treasurer, emergency funds were issued to ISO since the organization is relatively new. This organization wasn't established during the other two funding cycles, when they should have applied for event funding.
ISO's request passed two of the three necessary event-funding criteria - be open to all students and on campus. However, the funding committee decided that this event was not educational.
"The overall program is a meet-and-greet," Ferguson said. "The committee didn't feel the event itself is educational. We are not here to fund full meals for everyone. It's more of a taste and see sit down."
ISO is planning to serve 300 people at its potluck. According to Ferguson, two-thirds of these guests will be international students and one-third will be other Miami University students.
"I like to factor in the amount of students attending," Ferguson said. "(ISO is) encouraging all Miami students to come."
ASG senators debated whether or not to approve the emergency funding request. Many wondered if ISO's potluck should be considered educational.
"I've been in funding for awhile," Senator Matthew Stephan said. "It's hard to judge food."
ISO intends to have food samples from around the world, including China, Japan, Africa, and Korea. For this reason, some ASG members believed it should be considered an educational event.
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"If we fund any food at all this would be it," Senator Ryan Spence said. "This is a chance for Miami students to meet international students."
In the end, ASG members approved the funding committee's decision in a voice vote.
Due to technological difficulties, ASG off-campus senator elections originally scheduled for April 23 were moved to Tuesday. Only students living off-campus next year could vote or run for a position.
After the votes were counted Tuesday night, 24 Miami students were elected to be ASG off-campus senators for the 2009-10 academic year.
Senator Aaron Bly said ASG has done a lot of great things this past year and he hopes to carry on the tradition serving as an off-campus senator.
Bly intends to stay in touch with his constituent's concerns by using off-campus student forums as a tool for communication.
"It's really difficult to keep in touch with off-campus students," Bly said.
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