tl19891012-000 "Vol. 84 No. 6 ""Required Reading"" October 12 1989 � Published weekly by the students of Towson State University, Towson Merger Madness by Tracey Brown News Editor and Andrea Greer News Reporter In the wake of a proposed mer-ger between the Student Activi-ties Board and the Student Gov-ernment Association, tensions among several University offices seem to be mounting. The SAB, a student-run organi-zation, has been under the offices of business and finance for the five years since it originated. Ac-cording to Vice-President of Busi-ness and Finance, Don McCulloh, a transfer of SAB from his offices to student services was initiated by University President Hoke Smith following the Middle States Evaluation. According to SGA Vice-Presi-dent, Kieffer Rittenhouse, the members of SAB and SGA were angered that ""students did not have a voice in the decision"" to move SAB. In an attempt to block the movement of SAB to student services, the SGA pro-posed a joint merger with SAB. Although business and finance advises and funds SAB, the or-ganization has control over its own monies and decisions, ac-cording to the President of SAB, Katie Burk. Fearing that the move to Stu-dent Services would mean a loss of autonomy for SAB, Burk agreed to consider the merger proposal with SGA. According to Burk the SAB is a student lea-dership group that plans activi-ties. ""We are just as much into leadership development and per-sonal development as we are into the fun stuff like planning trips and events,"" said Burk. Although a merger would possi-bly require an amendment to the SGA constitution, Rittenhouse wrote a letter to Smith in mid- September proposing that SAB merge with SGA to form a diverse yet still student-run organization. Burk also wrote a letter to Dor- \IF MD 21204 Aronin and Burk take time out from negotiations. othy Siegel, vice-president of stu-dent services stating the SAB's position. In response to the SGA and SAB's reactions to Smith's pro-posal to bring SAB under student services, Siegel stated that ""I would rather see students object and be heard than say nothing at all,"" and that she did not want students to have ""a pre-conceived notion of me as someone who would grab at power."" Rittenhouse, as well as other members of the SGA, however, feel that Siegel has not always been receptive to the needs and desires of the student body. ""We feel that she (Siegel) took away tailgating, and also pitchers of beer in the Rat, and student ser-vices didn't ask the students. If she saw no need for something, she took it away."" SGA President Michael Aronin said, ""Dean Siegel doesn't realize that she takes and dictates stu-dent's money. She does things her way and does not give stu-dents the ability to learn and govern themselves. The irony is that student services is supposed to help students, not hinder them."" Smith has arranged for a con-sultant to come to the University photo by John Stefaocik to review the development of stu-dent affairs sometime in Decem-ber and decisions concerning the SAB situation have been tempo-rarily put on hold. All of the involved organizations (SAB, SGA, and Student Services) will be included in the review and negotiation before any changes will be implemented. According to Siegel, factors such as space, resources, people, and capital, have to be taken into consideration before the change can take place. Within the five years of it exist-ence, the SAB has grown from an organization with six members to over seventy and has increased its budget from $40,000 to $180,000. Burk attributes the suc-cess of SAB to the advising and encouragement of the University. Union staff who played an inte-gral role in training SAB mem-bers. ""We are treated autono-mously by auxiliary services be-cause they have professionally advised us in the past and they trust our decisions,"" said Burk, ""I don't feel that student services has the background in student personnel that auxiliary services has."" Burk also said that one of her main concerns is the protection INSIDE AIDS Awareness Week. SGA refuses to fund Dance Company tour. Page 2 Football wins first game of the season. Women's volleyball takes Loyola Invitational. Page 6 Arms and the Man at Towson Grub Street: A preview. Chamber players. Page 14 The Suldcah�New and Impressed. SGA lacks ""professionalism"". Page 22 1=77=1=e7777 specific mission and responsi-bility to the students. In many ways we are the voice of the students as is the SGA and we take this responsibility very ser-iously,"" said Burk, ""I just want to make sure that our spending con-tinues to reflect exactly what the students need and are interested in.,, "
