The first meeting of the 93rd session of Student Congress Tuesday night was defined by one of the body’s main responsibilities — allocating funds to student organizations.
Five bills were passed to appropriate funds to various student groups, including a request for more than $20,000 from the UNC College Republicans.
Finance committee Chairman Jared Simmons and College Republicans Chairman Greg Steele presented the groups’ request for funds to bring Republican writer and pundit Ann Coulter to campus next month.
After much debate, the request was amended to give the group only about $5,000 for Coulter’s speaker fees. The other $15,000 was allotted but expected to be paid back to the University after fundraising.
Steele said the group has already raised some money for the event.
He also said the group requested $25,000 to bring Karl Rove to campus last year. The group spent $15,000 in student fees to bring Rove to campus.
Adam Horowitz, chairman of the oversight committee, raised concerns about the amount of money requested.
“It just bothers me that we’re paying this much for one event,” he said.
Other appropriations passed included $717 to the Special Libraries Association, $858 to Building Bonds, Breaking B.A.R.S. and $245 to UNC M.A.N.O., which teaches English as a second language.
