<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2ZJppV_0vjnYOm600" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2ZJppV_0vjnYOm600" width="1000" height="667" ><figcaption>via Alestle Archives</figcaption></figure>Student Government took a big step in the right direction during their Sept. 9 meeting, when they approved a bill requiring them to post a breakdown of their budget online. Very early in the academic year, Student Government is proving that it does work for the students and doesn’t exist just for its own benefit. Student Senate Bill 2024-1005, also known as the “Student Government Polo Uniform Policy,” was authored by Student President Barrett Larkin and sponsored by Senator Tonanzi Montoya. The primary purpose of the bill is a mission of sustainability, not transparency. According to the text of the bill, more than half of Student Government’s funds have been spent on “internal items” in the past. One of the “large and consistent” purchases in this category have been new uniforms for each member of Student Government every year. With the massive expansion of the Senate in 2023, that cost would only go up compared to years prior. On the surface, Student Senate Bill 2024-1005 is a practical, money-saving initiative. On a deeper level, the bill also promotes sustainability with its system of recycling uniforms from year to year. So long as the bill is enforced, future Student Government administrations will be required to use the current design unless an outside organization “reasonably suggests a change.” While this wording is a tad vague, it nevertheless keeps future administrations from changing the uniform design themselves, as previous administrations have tended to do. What really shines about this bill is how it keeps Student Government accountable for its spending. The bill requires Student Government to maintain a link on its website with a breakdown of its budget. The bill emphasizes that the breakdown will include what is spent on uniforms, but the idea of making one’s budget publicly available at all is an applaudable one. Student Government is taking concrete steps towards transparency. The bill acknowledges that Student Government is supported by student fee dollars. Students at SIUE have every reason to pay attention to — and every right to be curious about — the way their elected representatives spend their money. What Student Government has done here falls in line with their mission of “hearing voices and taking action,” as said in the text of the bill. Passing this bill has little positive effect on Student Government itself, aside from saving a bit of money. If anything, Student Government has opened itself to more scrutiny by making their budget public. Previous administrations have been more inwardly-focused than the current administration. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but a Student Government that wants to connect with the students should be making itself available and transparent to the students. This bill is evidence that Student Government is striving for this and is a sign of good things to come.</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

ALESTLE VIEW Student Government making important steps toward transparency, sustainability

Student Government took a big step in the right direction during their Sept. 9 meeting, when they approved a bill requiring them to post a breakdown of their budget online. Very early in the academic year, Student Government is proving that it does work for the students and doesn’t exist just for its own benefit.