At the 1926th Regular Meeting of the University of Massachusetts Undergraduate Senate of the Student Government Association (SGA) on December 4., the Senate debated a budget resolution proposal for the 2025-2026 academic year.
The proposed resolution increases the internal SGA Budget to $366,189.93 for FY26, from the prior $291,1750.00. This money would be used for events such as Multicultural Night and wages for executive officers.
Ways and Means chair Maia Shteyman said there will be “more than a 20 percent cut” in fee allocations for many agencies and Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) next year, Debate was called for the resolution, as many Senators opposed the resolution, and it was unfinished business from the previous meeting.
“All of these agencies are going to be losing money for wages,” Senator Jacob Nevins said. “If those agencies are receiving cuts, so should the SGA.”
“I truly believe in accountability and transparency,” President Colin Humphries said. “In order to make those changes that need to be changed we need those hours.”
Many senators said it was ironic that the SGA would increase their own budget, but slash the budget of many agencies and RSO’s. “It is a complete overreach of power to be doing this,” Nevins said.
As this was a non-binding resolution, Speaker Michel Flanagan stressed that, “A resolution cannot force an action, a resolution is a sentiment of the senate.” The debate eventually ended, and the resolution was voted on, with 17 senators for, and 12 against. The resolution passed.
Motion S. 49 was passed as a new undersecretary of Sustainability, Liana Rice, a senior sustainable community development major took her oath of office. Motion S. 50 which clarifies and broadens regulations of Agency and RSO endorsements for SGA elections, was adopted.
Motion S. 53 was discussed, as to allocate pay for the upcoming winter session from the discretionary fund. This pay “wasn’t initially allocated in the budget,” Humphries said. Secretary of Finance Dylan Bellerive explained that this money is allocated in the budget request for FY26, so they wouldn’t have to pull from the discretionary funds. The resolution passed.
Following this, Senators approved a motion which requested $14,992 from the DIA fund for Multicultural Night 2024. This money was not budgeted in SGA’s FY25 budget. Secretary of Diversity Anaia Lombo said multicultural night “is a way for us to take pride in the cultures we have here”.
Next was Motion S. 52, which amended bylaws which explained more details about the requirements of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The motion initially passed, but at the end of the meeting, following debate, it was tabled back to Administrative Affairs for consultation with the Student Legal Services Office.
Motion S. 51 amends the bylaws to include an explicit definition of ‘Viewpoint Neutrality.’ The definition was described as “the requirement that funding decisions not be based on a group’s point of view.” This motion was called to move back to Administrative Affairs for consultation with the Student Legal Services Office as the final definition was not consulted with them.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:23pm, and a Christmas party was held afterwards.
Pratika Dhungel can be reached at [email protected]
