SGA Hosts Special Meeting to Discuss Faculty Assembly and CUA Project Arts Budget

By Catherine O’Grady

Catholic University’s Student Government Association (SGA) met on Monday to vote on Resolution 014, a resolution regarding the Faculty Assembly, and a recommendation of the Special Committee on Allocations Appeals regarding CUA Project Arts.

Resolution 014 titled, “A Resolution Affirming SGA Support for the Academic Senate,” was an affirmation of SGA’s priority to communicate correct information to the students it represents and a recognition of the Academic Senate as a school-sanctioned organization that participates in Catholic University’s governance. This was all said to clarify the Faculty Assembly’s role at Catholic University and its lack of governmental authority. The resolution was brought along by the recent confusion concerning the assembly and members of the Senate sought to clarify information provided and create more context for students.

The Faculty Assembly is an informal meeting of faculty members from all schools to discuss the issues they face.   

The second part of the resolution asked that the “‘faculty assembly’ suspend its continued misinformation, malalignment, incorrect implication, and circumvention of the university’s shared governance model.” The resolution also asked that the Faculty Assembly refrain from publishing any of its publications on stationery bearing the logo or seal of the university.

“This resolution doesn’t ask the Faculty Assembly to stop meeting,” said Senator Aaron Mackisey from the Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art.

Mackisey was the sponsor of the resolution and was supported by the heads of all the committees in SGA who co-sponsored the resolution.

“These faculty members are more than welcome to get together, to talk about things that affect them,” he said. “What it does ask them to do is to stop giving the public perception that they’re an official organization. It asks them to play fair.”

Senator Rachel Garfield, from the Busch School of Business, was a strong opponent to this resolution as she has conversed with many faculty members about their role in the Faculty Assembly.

“The Faculty Assembly gives our faculty a chance to speak freely without fear of being fired for their opinions,” Garfield said.

However, with the opposition from Garfield and a few other senators, the resolution passed the Senate in a vote of 16 to 9, with one senator abstaining.

Next, Senator Katie Troilo, representative of the Class of 2019 and chair of  the Special Committee on Allocations Appeals, presented the recommendation regarding CUA Project Arts.

The Special Committee on Allocations Appeals manages the appeals submitted by student organizations about the allocations from the Treasury Board, after the Executive Board approves the appeal for further action. On February 26, the Treasury Board decided to cut the operating budget requested from the CUA Projects Arts from $1,209.49 to an offer of $159.99.

The Committee reviewed all of the expenses CUA Projects Arts planned, making cuts where they saw necessary. The Committee unanimously agreed that a budget of $200 would be enough for the marketing tools needed by the organization for its events.

The Appeal Special Committee’s proposal was unanimously agreed on by the senators.