SAC elects exec. committee

No freshmen were allowed to run for the open slots. After clarifying their constitution, the Student Activities Council elected four members to one-year terms on its executive committee last night. Representatives voted for Wharton junior Steve Schorr and Wharton sophomore Curtis Redding to retain their positions on the SAC board, while electing College sophomore Olivia Troye and Engineering junior Ben Goldberger for the first time. The elections were originally plagued by confusion after SAC Vice Chairperson and College sophomore Debby Posner accepted candidate nominations from freshmen. Such a move violates SAC's constitution, which states that only representatives who have been officers in the organization since September 4, 1996 -- the first day of classes last year -- are eligible to run for a position on the executive committee. "The rules are here for a purpose," Goldberger said. "I don't think we should disregard them just to make things expedient." But College freshman and SAC executive candidate Jason Ackerman said the rule unfairly excluded freshmen who had experience in areas other than SAC. And other members noted that current SAC Chairperson Schorr was elected as a freshman "and did a great job." Members also voiced concern that eliminating the freshmen candidates would lead to the automatic election of the remaining upperclassmen. But the two-thirds majority needed to vote in favor of suspending the rule was not obtained, and the four freshmen candidates were removed from the ballot, re-opening the nominations. Goldberger said that as a newly elected board member, he wants to work on not only the equitable distribution of SAC funds, but also on increasing the amount of money available to the organization. "I'm one of the more anal people in this room, and I think that will help SAC," he said. Troye said she would be willing to listen to all representatives and share her extensive knowledge of SAC member groups next year. Schorr and Redding both said that they would use their past experience to help govern the group. SAC also voted to give $7,228 to member organizations. Although Students Together Against Acquaintance Rape was not originally budgeted to receive funds, the group appealed and received $1,375 to send three members to a national conference on sexual violence in Minnesota. Schorr defended the executive committee's decision not to give STAAR money, explaining that SAC's constitution prohibited giving funds for non-essential travel. But STAAR representatives convinced other members of the urgency of the conference. They said the organization needed feedback on planning culturally specific workshops, adding that the seniors attending the conference would share their experiences with the younger members of STAAR. The Vietnamese Students Association was given an additional $100 after an appeal to have a professional dance troop perform at their cultural show. SAC members voted to recognize Alternate Spring Break and Penn Model Congress and re-recognize the Pakistan Society. They also voted to recognize Sangham, a group designed to support women of South Asian descent. Executive committee members had originally recommended conditional recognition for the group because they were unsure if Sangham's goals differed from those of the South Asian Society.