COLIN PERRY
Assistant News Editor
Most students probably don’t know the exact definition of “constituted group,” but even those who think they do will want to brace for change heading into next semester.
Over the course of the semester, the Student Association (SA) has been reworking Statute O-6, a section of its constitution that defines what a constituted group is. At its most basic, a constituted group is a group that draws a budget from SA, which can be anywhere from $5,000 to $100,000. Twenty-eight groups on campus are currently considered constituted, which also means they have been shown to play a large role in shaping the campus community.
Senior finance major Jason Burgos, SA president-elect and member of the the O-6 committee, said that a new look at the statute is necessary due to Fredonia’s ongoing budgetary problems.
“Because of the financial situation the Student Association is going through — and the entire campus as a whole — we cannot sustain all of our constituted groups,” Burgos said.
He identified the problem as being largely related to declining enrollment, as less students means less income in the form of the Student Activity Fee all students pay.
“We rely heavily on our Student Activity Fee. That is our main source of revenue for the Student Association, that is how we operate,” said Burgos.
For the 2015-16 school year, the fee rose three dollars to $102 per semester, but the slight increase has not been enough to address all the needs of Student Association groups.
The talks on Statute O-6 have been ongoing all semester and will continue into 2016, in large part as “a matter of deliberation,” Burgos said.
“It’s a very lengthy process,” he added. “You have to pick … the correct terms to use in a way that will apply to a majority of our groups. It also has to be something that can be concrete for years, that other people can understand.”
The talks have been met with controversy, as worries persist that any changes to Statute O-6 will mean some groups will be downgraded as a result. But Burgos said that no groups are being singled out or left behind during the talks.
“We are trying to get the best fit for as many constituted groups as we can, so that we can have that definite definition of what an elite status group … is and hopefully assess all of our groups,” Burgos said.
In January, Burgos will also begin his term as SA President. He said he would push for the statute to be finalized by the beginning of February so that SA’s budget talks, which begin next semester, can go on unimpeded.
“I think it’s very imperative that we get this done in a reasonable amount of time,” said Burgos.