SAC votes to cut off a cappella funding

After months of votes, revotes and procedural harangues, the Student Activities Council finally resolved its a cappella funding controversy last night. The body voted to cut off the groups' grants for the rest of the semester -- a total of $6,494 for the seven a cappella groups. The vote reconfirmed the policy of the SAC Finance Committee, which had been pushing for a number of months to stop students from being "double charged" -- paying $5 at the door of a show plus a part of their General Fee which funds SAC. There was little of the heated debate which had punctuated previous meetings at which the a cappella issue was discussed. Both SAC and a cappella leaders said they had resolved most of their differences before the vote had been taken. SAC Finance Chairperson Michael Graves said he was not surprised by the lack of discussion at the meeting, which lasted only one hour -- highly uncharacteristic of SAC meetings, which are well-known for their length. "I had met with representatives from [SAC] Steering and from the Office of Student Life, and I guess it all worked out," Wharton sophomore Graves said. Counterparts singer Sean Aherne spoke in favor of continuing to fund a cappella groups. Aherne, a College junior, said that since SAC allots money on a yearly basis, it is unfair for the group to take away funds so late in the school calendar. "You shouldn't take money allocated to us at the beginning of the year," he said. Pennsylvania 6-5000 President and College junior Mike Phillips, whose group lost $1,100 in the vote, said he was not surprised by the body's decision. He said he does not know how the loss of funds will affect Penn-Six, adding that the group has yet to determine how much it will request from SAC next year. But SAC President Brandon Fitzgerald, a member of the a cappella group The Inspiration, said all of the singing groups have applied for funding for next year. But the College senior added that the groups "have not applied for as much." Leaders said they are relieved that the issue is finally over. "I'm happy that SAC gave its full consideration to the issue," Fitzgerald said. "It was well debated in and out of SAC, even though sometimes it can get unwieldy in a body of 150 people."