SAC gives recognition to FLASH

Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health, a student organization designed to teach students about sexual precautions, was recognized for the first time by the Student Activities Council last night. In addition to FLASH representatives, members of the 150 other SAC-funded student organizations convened for over two hours to discuss mostly routine business at the first SAC monthly meeting of the year last night. Although it is not a new organization at the University, FLASH -- a peer education program which provides workshops for dormitory residents and student groups on issues such as sexually-transmitted diseases and birth control -- only applied for SAC recognition last spring after a recent rise in interest in its campus workshops. "We've had a lot more response from the University community [and] a greater amount of requests for workshops," said Jennifer Trupkin, FLASH co-chairperson and representative to SAC. "[FLASH] is more well-known on campus." Trupkin, a College senior, said FLASH plans on expanding its role at the University to also involve AIDS education. The organization is currently looking to recruit more facilitators, Trupkin said. "[FLASH] provides a valuable community service that SAC has demonstrated they want to support," Brandon Fitzgerald, SAC chairperson, said last night. SAC, a branch of student government, is a funding source for undergraduate student groups on campus which sponsor cultural and educational programming. It allocates more than $350,000 annually. SAC consists of an executive body, made up of a steering committee and a finance committee, and representatives from SAC-funded groups. The body also re-recognized eight student groups last night which had previously lost SAC recognition, in most cases, because of missed deadlines. All re-recognitions were accepted without questions or debate by SAC members. During the meeting, members voted on several groups' requests for funding from the SAC contingency fund, an amount of emergency money not already allocated to groups. Fitzergerald said that although the amount of money -- approximately $5,000 -- remaining in the contingency fund after the meeting was a little low, this showed how much student groups rely on SAC. "Better that student groups actually use the money and have quality programs than [have] the money sitting around in various University accounts not being used," he said. At the beginning of the SAC meeting, which must be attended by a member of every SAC-funded group, Fitzgerald proposed that SAC sponsor a logo contest to commemerate its 25-year anniversary. He said that this would be an inexpensive way to ensure that SAC is remembered in the future. "We were going to have a big pizza party," Fitzgerald joked, [but it would have been] a misuse of student funds." The meeting agenda also included brief statements by Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Jeff Lichtman and members of the Social Planning and Events Committee regarding upcoming student government events. Although Fitzgerald said he was making an effort this year to "speed" meeting procedures, last night's long meeting did not seem to hold student representatives' attention. Comments about hunger pains and boredom could be heard throughout Logan Hall 17. "[Although the meeting] is kind of long [and] sometimes boring, it is informative because I wouldn't know much about the activities going on at Penn," said Mayu Hara, Hawaii Club liasion to SAC. (CUT LINE) Please see SAC, page 5 SAC, from page 1

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