Congress Appropriates $2,500

After finding about $18,000 that the former student body treasurer tucked away in an investment account, Student Congress tried to remain frugal when considering six student groups' funding requests Tuesday night.

Members voted to distribute about a tenth of the amount available for fall subsequent appropriation funds after eliminating certain requests they deemed unnecessary.

Earlier this semester, student government leaders thought Congress was facing a shortage in fall subsequent appropriation funds, which are distributed to a variety of student organizations. The funds are composed of money left over from the annual budget in February and of reversions -- unused money student groups must return at the semester's end.

But recently officials located about $18,000 that former student body treasurer Patrick Frye transferred into an investment account without informing other leaders. This amount brought Congress' funds back to normal levels.

After Frye put the $18,000 into the investment account, an auditor combined it with Congress' emergency funds account, Finance Committee Chairman Tony Larson said.

Before Tuesday's meeting, the Student Code stated that Congress could not access any of the funds in the emergency account, which must maintain a $40,000 balance, without a two-thirds vote.

But during Tuesday's meeting, Congress voted to approve a bill that would give the student body treasurer and finance committee chairman the ability to access extra funds in the account that exceed the required $40,000 balance.

With the new appropriations plan in place, Congress doled out $2,417.43 to six student groups, including the Carolina Indian Circle, Students for a Free Tibet, BoUNCe magazine, Amnesty International, the Carolina Academic Team and UNC-CH Walk-Ons.

But financial matters weren't the only thing Congress was concerned about.

In his remarks at the meeting, Student Body President Justin Young discussed the need for the University and its student leaders to come together in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania.

Young specifically discussed the plight of the University's Muslim community. "Responding to hate and violence with more hate will not be tolerated," he said. "We're all dealing with this, and it's not right to alienate any student group."

Rules and Judiciary Committee Chairman Blair Sweeney said he and Larson are in the process of writing a resolution condemning the recent attacks. The resolution is scheduled for debate in the next session.

Congress also passed a resolution stating that the body "supports efforts to remedy the discriminatory provisions of the Higher Education Act."

Student Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Wahl, who introduced the resolution, said the Higher Education Act unfairly denies opportunities to students convicted of any drug-related offenses by nullifying their eligibility for financial aid.

Congress also approved senior Ashlie Green as vice chairwoman of the Board of Elections for the 2001-02 school year and appointed freshman Ryan Lovin to the Yackety Yack Board of Directors.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.