By Steve Babcock

The Student Government Association voted Thursday to create a committee to examine how money from university student fees are spent.

The resolution creating the committee was passed in its original form despite an amendment and pressure from several senators to exclude mention of the Resident Student Associaton from the text.

In recent weeks, members of SGA have become upset with RSA due to what SGA has illustrated as a “lack of oversight” for the group that oversees students living on campus.

After RSA voted to raise its fee from 18 to 28 dollars, SGA attempted to look into the logistical spending of the fee, and was reportedly denied access. Legislation to create a committee that would be given authorization to look into the spending of all student fees was then created. However, the resolution singled out RSA, saying a reason for the committee was that, “the Resident Student Association collects the largest membership fees … with no external oversight.”

Michael Benson, SGA Vice President for Financial Affairs, re-iterated why he thought it necessary to mention RSA in the resolution.

“RSA has the highest gross income of any student group on campus,” Benson said, “There is also a sharing of constituency groups that exists between our two groups that warrants investigation.”

Benson also brought a flyer from one of the West Village buildings that advertised free laundry for all students. The flyer stated that students had to report free laundry being provided to them that they were using so it was legitimate to RSA.

“The fact that the Resident Student Fee is being used for laundry alone makes me concerned,” Benson said.

RSA President Daniel Loveman was at the meeting to clarify RSA’s position and relationship with the SGA.

RSA Vice President for Finance Keri Crocitto, who said she would make a presentation at the meeting, was not present.

“RSA does not oppose this legislation at all. I understand concerns have been brought to SGA. We have never had a chance to address those concerns,” Loveman said, referring to the claim by SGA that they have worked hard to initiate communication with RSA about the problems.

The Committee to Examine Northeastern University Student Fees, as the new commission is called, was only opposed by one senator. Three senators also abstained.

One senator who abstained, freshman Senator John Guilfoil, later said that his decision was based on the language of the resolution.

“There are many, many student groups on this campus,” Guilfoil said, “I don’t think we need to mention them all by name.”

Benson said that the committee would start work as soon as possible. According to the Committee’s charge, it will operate for a year and present a report to both the university and SGA at the end of this time. RSA will be examined for two weeks, with each of the other student fees being looked at for one.

Members of the committee will include the leaders (vice president and assistant VP) of the SGA’s Financial Affairs Committee, which would include Benson, representatives from the SGA’s Student Affairs Committee, Academic Affairs Committee, the university’s Media Board, and RSA. Benson also said he has contacted the Chair of the University Budget Office, the University Comptroller, who is mainly responsible for University Funds and members of the University Business Office to sit on the committee as non-voting members and provide advice from financial experts’ viewpoint.

The committee will also look at the SGA’s own Student Activities Fee, which is currently in student referendum to be raised.