Following an unsuccessful attempt by Adam Shpeen '07 to bring reform legislation forward for discussion, a resolution to participate in and fund the 2007 Native American Pow-Wow was passed at Tuesday night's Student Assembly meeting.
Shpeen moved to "untable" his legislation to make an Assembly review group that was not discussed at the Assembly's Jan. 23 meeting because of time constraints. After consulting the Assembly's Constitution, Assembly Parliamentarian Jaromy Siporen '08 determined that the issue was not addressed in the document and so the decision to bring forth the legislation was up to the legislation's sponsoring committee and the Assembly's Executive Board.
Student Body Vice President Jacqueline Loeb '08 said that the legislation's sponsoring committee, the Membership and Internal Affairs Committee, decided to retool the legislation and was not yet prepared to offer the new legislation.
"I disagree with Jaromy's reasoning," Shpeen said after the meeting. "My impression was that if a piece of legislation was on the docket for a meeting and doesn't get discussed because of time, the piece of legislation is then tabled."
Shpeen said that he was eager to have his legislation addressed.
"[The legislation] is an interesting piece of legislation that certainly was worth discussing," he said.
The Pow-Wow resolution passed on Tuesday provides up to $5,000 and Assembly support for the 35th anniversary of this annual event, sponsored by Native Americans at Dartmouth. The legislation was presented by Yuki Kondo-Shah '07 and the Diversity and Community Committee.
"[The legislation] is really positive, especially because with the increased membership of Student Assembly, it represents a lot of groups on this campus," Kondo-Shah said. "Having their support for an event like the Pow-Wow will draw increased participation."
Several members of the Assembly noted the importance of supporting this event in light of this fall's events.
"It's important for us to recognize the special place that the Native American community has on this campus," said Kenny Brown Klinger '07, chair of the Student Life Committee.
Student Assembly has not provided fiscal support for this event in the past. The NAD representatives at the Assembly meeting said that they also intended to ask for $10,000 from both the Programming Board and the Council on Student Organizations, and noted that part of the reason they were approaching the Assembly for money this year was because of a lack of funds for last year's event.
Several Assembly members, however, questioned whether the Assembly should support the event, pointing to the Assembly's recent efforts to cut spending, and questioning whether the expenditure was appropriate.
Assembly Treasurer Ruslan Tovbulatov '09 said that he was concerned about what fiscal support from the Assembly would add to the Pow-Wow, though he supported and voted for the bill.
"I think the intentions of a bill like this are very important for Student Assembly to support," Tovbulatov said. "The only concern that it raises and the only reason that I had any doubts is what fundamental changes it was making to the actual event and in what way it was improving and reaching out to campus."
Shpeen was one of three students who voted against the legislation.
"I support the Pow-Wow," Shpeen said. "I intend on going. I think Student Assembly should publicize [the event] and commit members to volunteering. But I think that committing $5,000 is an overstep. I think that this is Programming Board's responsibility. [The Assembly] should be more of an advocacy body than a funding body."
About 100 students attended the meeting. Many of the organizational representatives who gained voting rights at the Assembly's Jan. 23 meeting were absent on Tuesday.
"I expected that a number of individuals who were here last week would not come this week just because of the rumored nature [of that meeting]," Student Body President Tim Andreadis '07 said.
Elections to replace David Nachman '08, who recently resigned as Assembly Secretary, were also held at Tuesday night's meeting. Nathan Bruschi '10 will serve as the Assembly's secretary.
The vote of no confidence in Andreadis' leadership remained unaddressed at Tuesday's meeting.
Andreadis said that the no-confidence legislation is on the docket for next week, along with legislation on sexual assault awareness.
