Student Government budget vote stalls after debate over funding appropriations – The Daily Texan

UT Student Government failed to pass an appropriations budget Tuesday due to a debate over whether it should fund political student organizations.

In the fall, SG approved a $35,000 budget to be distributed to student organizations across campus. During Tuesday’s meeting, a vote was taken to approve which organizations would receive funds. The list included $450 to UT’s chapter of Turning Point USA, which sparked controversy due to the organization’s political affiliation. A roll call vote was called where the majority of representatives abstained or voted nay, causing appropriations to stall.

SG will meet on Tuesday to vote once again on these funds. If passed, the money will be allocated to 67 organizations, including UT’s chapter of Turning Point USA.

Transfer Representative Ryan Faidley proposed an amendment to remove funding for UT’s chapter of Turning Point USA, due to the organization’s goals, which include “promoting conservative politics on campus.” Faidley cited the UT Catalog in his amendment, which states: “sponsored student organizations may not engage in political speech and should not issue statements or express positions on issues of the day.” 

The amendment failed after debate. Some representatives were concerned whether this sentiment would apply to other organizations, such as religion-based organizations. Michael Shaw, SG advisor, brought up how SG would be funding their events, not everything the organizations do. 

“If the assembly agrees with the logic of removing only one organization because it is expressly political, then I feel like they would agree with the logic of allowing the remaining organizations because they don’t meet that threshold,” Faidley said. 

The Financial Affairs committee reviews and scores the applications for funds. Jace Jones, financial affairs chair, who said in the meeting that he is part of UT’s Turning Point USA chapter, and Luke Grismer, financial director for SG’s executive branch, opposed the amendment. 

“The role of Student Government is to be the voice of the students,” Grismer said. “To me, that applies to all students. (SG) should be proud that we fund both Turning Point USA … as well as the Hindu associations and the Christian organizations. This assembly should be proud that everybody can be represented under (SG).” 

Jones declined to comment further, and Grismer did not respond to request for comment.

After the amendment failed, Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Nguyen asked if SG funding UT’s Chapter of Turning Point USA, an organization he said is “overtly political,” would be a political decision.

“What are the ramifications of being (a) place that supports institutional neutrality, but then going on to vote yes for this?” Nguyen said at the meeting. 

Faidley said funding political organizations is an important issue to the student body. He called the amendment a “one-time fix” and said he hopes SG will create rules to prevent funding for political organizations in the future. He said he hopes students come to the next meeting, as the appropriations will be voted on again. 

“If many people show up and speak during open forum and speak during the debate, then I feel that people will understand,” Faidley said. “I think with that passage of time, then people will be more amicable to removing this from the budget.”