Student Assembly members appear to have settled a misunderstanding over photocopying costs.
Last week, Assembly Secretary John Honovich '97 and other members voiced their concern when photocopies made by Assembly Vice President Rukmini Sichitiu '95 cost $1,000 more than Sichitiu had originally said.
Sichitiu told Assembly members that letters sent to all students inviting them to apply for positions on various College subcommittees would cost less than $100.
The 3,900 copies of the seven-page letter-- 27,300 imprints in total -- actually cost $1,137.40. The fee includes stapling and folding charges.
Sichitiu said she simply did not think of how expensive so many photocopies would be.
"I definitely want to apologize," she said. "Nothing I did was malicious, deceitful or in any way ill-intentioned. I realize that all of this could have been avoided if I had just thought about it."
Assembly Treasurer Scott Rowekamp '97 and Dean of Student Life Holly Sateia, who is the Assembly's faculty adviser, both said they believe Sichitiu made an honest mistake.
"I don't think that there was malice intended," Sateia said.
Though Honovich still expressed reservations about Sichitiu's actions, he said the dispute is settled.
"She might have just made an honest mistake, but there seem to be a lot of those mistakes going on," Honovich said. "Are these just a series of mistakes or are they something more?"
Honovich said he does not plan to pursue the issue any further.
"If we would have known before, there are things we could have done. We could have done things to save ourselves money," he said.
But much, if not all, of the bill for the copies is being footed by the Dean of the College's office, Assistant Dean of Students Katherine Burke said.
Burke, who also coordinates student appointments to College committees, said Sichitiu simply did her job trying to raise the number of student applicants to College committees.
"She did what we asked her to do and she did it well," Burke said. "In particular this year, I think it's gone better than in past years."
Burke said the expense was justified by greater student response than in previous years. Approximately 70 students applied for positions on 10 committees.
"This is the most applications we've ever gotten from the student body," Sichitiu said.
