Congress rejects ethics query in display funds

Student Congress will consider hosting an open forum for students to debate the merit of funding last week's anti-abortion display in Polk Place.

Ryan O'Quinn vice chairman of Congress' rules and judiciary committee" will present the proposal at next week's full Congress meeting.

He had first presented a resolution to launch an ethics inquiry into Carolina Students for Life's funding request for the display.

""I wanted to submit this resolution mainly to get on the record some concerns" at least I had for the funding request" O'Quinn said.

It also reflects concerns brought to me by my constituents.""

Other representatives rejected the proposal" saying it isn't the ethics committee's role to consider the validity of a group's event.

O'Quinn is a graduate student in the biology department and represents other graduate students.

Many of his constituents sent e-mails to Congress members complaining about the display.

O'Quinn addressed three concerns with the exhibit during the rules and judiciary committee meeting.

His main issue was the exhibit's age. He said after researching the display he determined the information to be at least 5 years old and to present outdated and unscientific information.

But representative Ashley Tyndall also a member of Carolina Students for Life" said the information on the exhibit was up-to-date.

O'Quinn said his constituents' main concern was the placement of warning signs.

He said the signs did not provide enough notice and were too close to the exhibit to be effective.

""I was able to stand in front of Lenoir and see details of the exhibit" he said.

Tyndall said the group made every effort to ensure students had the opportunity to walk somewhere else but had never promised a detour.

 We did what was stated in the proposal" Tyndall said. We never promised a detour route.""

Representatives debated for nearly 40 minutes about whether the ethics committee should investigate the group. None besides O'Quinn were in favor of such an investigation.

 ""Nothing beneficial would come from the ethics investigation"" said Congress Speaker Tim Nichols.

All the concerns were addressed tonight and Student Congress doesn't have the right to tell a student organization what event to host.""

O'Quinn said he plans to introduce the resolution for a campus forum to discuss the display next week"" a plan he said he is satisfied with.

""Congress funded this to promote debate among the student body"" he said.

I'd like to see a moderated large-group debate or small-group discussion rather than construct the debate through the newspaper.""



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