Keeping Up with the King's Council: Meeting Relocation, Budget Allocation

Student Body President Reese Evans ('16) knocked the wooden gavel against the cold metal table in the Student Union, this week's uncustomary meeting venue, and the council opened, its discussion soon dominated by a motion made by the House of Lewis President Fisher Derderian ('16). This motion was to determine how to allocate remaining funds, $1,404, from the House Grant, and proposed that the Budget Committee appropriate that money.

If the Budget Committee is appointed to allocate these funds, the committee will listen to the presentations from Houses to determine where to give the money. If a House wants part of these funds, they may send a representative before the Budget Committee to put forward their proposal.  The presentation must include the desired amount of money, how the money is to be spent, who is to benefit from the grant and how the funds would further House goals. After the money is divvied up according to proposals, any remaining funds will be equally divided between the Houses.

Leah Contreras ('16), President of the House of Queen Elizabeth I, expressed concern with the timing of this motion. Considering mid-terms, Interregnum, and house elections quickly approaching, it would put a strain on Houses to compile a proposal in time for the Budget Committee review. Helen Healey ('17), President of the House of Margaret Thatcher, pointed out that house executive teams should know by this time whether $1,400 of extra funds are necessary. The meeting ended with the President of the House of Corrie Ten Boom, Jessie Schnoebelen ('16), requesting that the Council vote on the motion at hand. The vote was split five to five and SBP Evans decided in favor of the motion. The Budget Committee will decide the allocation of the additional funds at a later date.

While Derderian's motion comprised most of the meeting, other topics discussed included Budget Committee bylaws, a proposal for a discretionary fund and the possibility of paid leadership positions within student organizations.

@TKCCouncilLive Tweet of the Week