Student Senate narrowly approved a resolution to spend almost $600 to buy ceremonial garments for its newest senators emeriti.
The resolution allocated $439 from the senate's general fund to buy 20 academic stoles, with another $139 for gold cords. The remaining $20 will go toward shipping and handling for the items. Senate voted 15 to 11 with three abstentions to purchase them.
Senator for Minority Affairs Andrea Blamble said the stoles will contain emerald medallions embossed with the Ohio University Student Senate logo. They would be adorned with gold cords and presented to the senators emeriti to be worn at graduation. The cords would then be theirs to keep.
After the purchase of the garments, $5,357 of the senate's $33,000 in yearly general fee money will remain.
Treasurer Robert Leary, president-elect for the 2009-10 school year, was a sponsor of the resolution but withdrew his sponsorship once the vestments were described. Leary then voted against the resolution.
Is it fiscally responsible to spend this much on ourselves when that money comes from the pockets of all OU students? Leary asked.
Primary sponsor Matt Tokarsky, chairman of the budget committee, said he was bound by his committee's wishes in sponsoring the resolution.
Personally
I voted nay but the body felt differently. Tokarsky said.
The resolution originally did not pay for the stoles, but the body voted in favor of adding the cost in another split vote.
The resolution was originally sponsored by Tokarsky, Leary, Blamble, and West Green Senator Jesse Neader, though Leary and Neader withdrew their support.
Blamble said commission members had been shopping around, and the vestments were the cheapest they could find.
She also said Senate would have plenty of vestments left for future years, removing the need to buy more for a few years.
Also voting against the resolution were Emily Shuki and Emily Bacha, Vice President-elect and Treasurer-elect respectively under Leary. Vice President Sally Neidhard supported the resolution, while President Michael Adeyanju abstained from voting.
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Tristan Navera
