College Council (CC) convened on Tuesday to discuss two resolutions establishing an Immigrant Emergency Fund (IEF) and an Urban Excursion Fund for RSO cultural programming.
Ultimately, neither resolution came to a vote. The Urban Excursion Fund resolution was tabled since its author, Cosmo Albrecht, Student Government community and government liaison, was ill and unable to attend the meeting. The IEF resolution was discussed, but did not reach a vote because amendments were suggested to the existing version.
The IEF resolution was introduced by Class of 2020 Representative Jahne Brown. The resolution states its purpose to be “allocation of funds to provide financial support to those students made vulnerable by President Trump’s Executive Orders through cost defrayals of costs associated with passports, identification cards, plane tickets, hotel rooms, legal support, and…other purposes.”
The goal of the current resolution, according to Brown, was to allocate $1,000 from CC’s remaining budget to the IEF and to set up a committee to oversee the usage of that fund.
Brown acknowledged that $1,000 is a significant proportion of CC’s remaining budget, but she also pointed out that on a rough estimate, it perhaps could only help about 20 individuals if each received $50 in aid.
The overarching goal of the resolution was supported by CC, but the resolution’s vagueness raised questions and concerns among CC representatives, specifically regarding accountability.
CC representatives noted the ambiguity surrounding the purview of the IEF, including which situations constitute as emergencies and how the IEF may distribute its money to help intended recipients. Also debated was the extent to which CC itself should be and can be involved in overseeing the allocated funds.
Brown conceded that she envisioned the committee to be in charge of drafting and executing rules that would govern actual transactions.
“I am acknowledging that this is very bare bone. It is really just establishing a committee to set up action,” said Brown.
In the end, a consensus was reached that amendments on the specifics needed to be added before the resolution is ready for a vote. Brown is in charge of drafting the amendments. The resolution was unanimously voted to be tabled for discussions at a later date.
