By Melissa Werthmann, News Staff

The Finance Board slashed almost $30,000 from the Student Government Association (SGA) budget, denying the organization any funds for executive stipends.

The move, which SGA President Michael Sabo called “unprecedented,” would eliminate this fall’s SGA executive board’s stipends.

SGA originally requested a total budget of $52,967 and the board released its decision Monday to allocate $23,616, with no money for stipends. Previously, 11 members of SGA received stipends. The president’s payroll was the largest, at $4,200 a year.

The board consists of SGA’s Comptroller Anthony Golia, six students-at-large, two senators, one of whom serves as the board’s vice chair, and George Sarikas, director of the Student Activity Business Office.

Golia said the board made its decision based on two principles. First, SGA members say the stipends are necessary to offset costs of food or housing because the executive board members are unable to get part-time jobs, since they invest so many hours in SGA. But the Student Activity Fee (SAF) manual states the SAF cannot be used to fund “payments for services provided by Northeastern students.”

Golia is a non-voting member of the Finance Board and said the decision to eliminate stipends was made because “the board felt it wasn’t exactly a prudent allocation of funds.”

The second reason the Finance Board withheld money for SGA member salaries is because stipend allocations are determined on a year-by-year basis. Golia said the ruling was independent of the previous year’s rationale.

“I think the board made a mistake in completely axing stipends,” Sabo said.

Sabo said he would have liked to see other options explored and “the decision of the board really hinders that when people’s livelihoods are at stake.”

Student organization members who wish to appeal a Finance Board decision can do so by sending an appeals memo to the student body president. As president, Sabo decides whether or not the memo has merit based on three standards: The board made an arbitrary decision, did not follow the rules in the manual or ignored past procedures.

However, if he did want to appeal the Finance Board’s decision, procedure suggests Sabo would technically send the memo to himself.

“I think what I would probably do is write a letter to the VP of Student Affairs,” he said, instead of sending it to himself. “Otherwise, it would be totally nonsensical.”

Sabo has until Monday to submit an appeal and if it is valid, the decision would go before the Appeals Board, which is made up of Sabo, Golia, SGA Parliamentarian Ryan Gordon, the Finance Board Justice and Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Laura Wankel.

Sabo and Gordon are both non-voting members of the Appeals Board.

Golia said he is not sure how the procedure will change due to conflict of interest because he has never been a part of an SGA appeal.

“Because the association is the appealing party, the VP of student affairs, or her designee, will make the final decision,” Golia said in an email to The News. “That would mean that they are the only person with a vote on appeals from SGA regarding funding decisions.”

In the past, Edward Klotzbier, the university’s previous vice president for student affairs, would send a designee if he was unable to attend the hearing. Marina Macomber, SGA’s advisor, went in his place.

Golia said the only item the Finance Board cut from SGA’s proposed budget was the stipend pool. He explained that the board allocates funds into specific pools and student groups can only use that money on things within that pool.

If SGA members still wanted to pay executive board members, the money would have to come from their cash account, which Golia said currently holds about $12,000 from SGA fundraising.

Members of SGA can also ask the Finance Board for a reallocation of the $29,616 that they were awarded, but Golia said he is not confident it would be approved.

“If it was for stipends the Finance Board would have to approve it and I don’t think they would,” he said.

If Sabo does choose to appeal the decision, the Appeals Board can chose to uphold or modify the finance board’s original allocation.

“It’s not an all or nothing approach,” Golia said, although whatever ruling they make is final.

SGA presidential candidates Peter Petrin and Chris LaColla have both said they want to remove SAF-funded stipends.

Golia said it’s easy for candidates to say they don’t want stipends but that they might change their mind if elected.

“Some members of [the SGA] e-board would be financially unable to hold their position without the stipend,” he said. “Stipends may not be the answer but something is.”

Sabo said SGA was one of two student organizations that requested less money than last year, and it was shocking to hear the Finance Board slashed half their budget since the request was a 4-5 percent decrease from the previous year.

“That was their decision, but we’ll move forward,” he said.

Sabo said he is unsure whether or not he will appeal the ruling.

“I haven’t made a final decision yet, but it’s a possibility,” he said. “I haven’t really had a minute to digest it.”

Sabo said past executive board members used to receive full tuition scholarships and that with time, the issue of stipends would have worked itself out.

“This is totally unprecedented,” he said. “This is literally something that has never happened before.”

If the decision is appealed and the Appeals Board modifies the ruling, giving money to SGA to spend on stipends, the senate would decide how much each position makes because of an Internal Resolution presented Monday.

The resolution gives senators the power to set stipend amounts after the Finance Board approves the budget. The document states that the senate may approve an increase to stipends at the request of the student body president. The resolution passed, with 28 votes in favor and 16 abstaining, and will be in effect until June 30.

“I just want the most transparent process feasible,” Golia said.

Previously, when the Finance Board allocated a lump sum for stipends, SGA’s executive board members decided how it was spent and the senate approved it. This resolution would allow the senate to dictate how much money each position is awarded.

“It’s better to have the senate have their voice heard than the e-board,” Golia said. “It looks kind of shady to have nine people vote on how much money they’re going to give themselves.”

Sabo said he will sign the resolution within the next few days.