LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
May 2, 2007 67LCB#3
Sponsored by: Veronica Lingo Journalism Co-Senator
Daniel Ramos Representative-at-Large
Authored by: Veronica Lingo Journalism Co-Senator
A Bill to Address the Financial Status of
the Student Group COPIRG
Bill History
During the latest funding cycle of the Spring 2007 semester, the Student Group Funding Board evaluated the eligibility of student groups on campus to determine student fee allocations for the ‘07-’08 school year. After two separate funding hearings, the SGFB—via a unanimous vote—decided to deny eligibility to CoPIRG, a local student group with ties to statewide and nationwide organizations. The basis for the denial was the inability for CoPIRG to establish that they had sufficient autonomy from their statewide organization in terms of financial and policy determination (see Chapter 5, §502 of the SGFB bylaws). CoPIRG has taken many steps to rectify this grievance, but in the ’07-’08 school year, the group will not have sufficient funding to be able to carry out its duties in order to demonstrate these improvements in time for the Spring ’08 allocation session.
Bill Summary
This bill would enact a special, one-time-only SOR allocation to the student group CoPIRG in the amount of $18,792, the sum difference between CoPIRG’s recommended budget of $64,292, taking into account $33,000 in saved monies in the Group’s SOFO account and a line-item subtraction of $12,500 for Organizational Development. This bill will only be enacted after Legislative Counsel audits the student group CoPIRG and sufficiently determines CoPIRG’s actions have rendered them compliant with SGFB code.
SECTION 1: The University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU) Legislative Council hereby enacts, under Article III, Section A (7) of the Legislative Counsel bylaws, a special one-time only SOR allocation to the student group CoPIRG in the amount of $18,792.
SECTION 2: The UCSU Legislative Council, subsequent to first reading of 67LCB02, will hereby conduct an audit of the student group CoPIRG, in accordance with Article III, Section A (7) of the Legislative Counsel bylaws.
SECTION 3: This audit shall take the form of a hearing and a determination, by roll-call vote of a majority of Legislative Counsel, that CoPIRG has sufficiently established eligibility (in compliance with SGFB bylaws, Chapter 5, §502). Participants required at the hearing include present student leaders of CoPIRG, but is open to all students who may offer relevant information. The UCSU Legislative Counsel President reserves the authority to determine the relevance of testimony and may impose limits on testimony as appropriate.
SECTION 3: Upon an affirmative ruling of eligibility, this bill takes effect upon final passage of the Legislative Counsel via a majority present and voting.
Vote Count
5/3/07 Tabled Acclamation
6/21/07 Failed 0-13-0
___________________________________ ______________________________
Boyce Postma Sarah
Martinez Davine
UCSU Legislative
Council President UCSU
Tri-Executive
___________________________________ ______________________________
Hadley Brown Charles
Gilford
UCSU Tri-Executive UCSU
Tri-Executive