A few minutes after Senators settled into their seats and the room had filled to capacity, Amy Schultz, SGA student senate chair, opened the meeting with a speech.
    “It is with great respect that I address everyone ... I appreciate the attention you drew to an issue that student government has been addressing for a number of years,” Schultz began. She went on to thank the K-State Administrators in attendance which included Dean of Student Life Pat Bosco and Director of Bands Frank Tracz. 
    Schultz concisely described how the K-State Band had outgrown its budget, that it had certainly outgrown the resources SGA was able to provide, and that the Privilege Fee Committee was an attempt to address this concern — a successful attempt.
    She ended with a rousing conclusion: “The band did not win today; the administration did not win today; SGA did not win today; K-State University won today.”
    The first opening period proceeded, during which three K-State Band members addressed the assembly.
    Melissa Woodworth, junior in music education and leadership studies, offered an interesting perspective: “I think we understand each other because, like SGA, we are [some of] the busiest people on campus.”
    Woodworth said, “An e-mail was sent to the marching band requesting others to nominate people to speak on behalf of the band.” Other speakers included Brian Long, a seventh year Band member, who couldn’t get through his speech without shedding a tear and Peter Weinert.
    Weinert, a freshman in musical education, had this to say concerning the already retracted budget cut: “It is said we don’t affect the entire student body but neither do all groups ... neither does the Collegian.”
    As the bill “Reduction and Elimination of the University Bands Privilege Fee” was not up for the final action, no vote was taken. The bill was amended to continue funding the band for the next three fiscal years at $140,000 a year.
    During the director’s reports, vice chair Emily Haug announced that allocations have passed for the Diversity Programming Council, which included a $3,650 allocation to the Percussion Arts Society to have lecturer/performer Sandrip Burma. Of the 29 requests there were only 14 acceptances. The K-State Band was no longer present to hear this week old action in their favor. 
    New legislation included two separate bills for KSU Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council that would send nine members from each organization to a Greek Association in St. Louis, Mo. Another would allow 40 Collegiate Farm Bureau members to travel to Wichita, Kan., where they would learn about policies affecting agriculture, and have a chance to network with students from other colleges.
    Student body president Lydia Peele thanked all senators for their patience and tact this week, as many students onslaught members of SGA with scathing e-mails throughout the week.
    “I was in a meeting when I received my first e-mail,” explained Schultz. “I have my e-mail forwarded to my cell-phone and all I saw was ‘What the hell were you thinking?’ I didn’t know the release had gone out and couldn’t think of anything I’d done.” She laughed. “But we’re trying not to linger on that sort of thing right now.”

 

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