Student Association Comptroller Channels the Organization’s Proper Role

A democratic government should help its constituents. Contrary to the opinions of capital-hawking Republicans, this means spending money.

Student Association Comptroller Stephen DeSalvo believes in this role. And he understands how to act as its proprietor.

At the first SA meeting of the 57^th Session Jan. 14, DeSalvo introduced his own New Deal: four new bills, all of which will significantly raise SA’s spending standards and minimums. The bills were passed unanimously at the meeting Tuesday.

Here’s the snapshot: Based on the new spending limits, all student organizations will now have access to $2,500-$5,000 more for any given request than previously accessible.

The organizations can now spend a maximum of $250, instead of just $150, to send representatives to national conferences.

SA will start funding transportation to larger-scale off-campus events. They will also raise the cost per student for funded events from $35 to $45.

“We weren’t spending all the money we had,” DeSalvo explained, “this won’t even put a dent in our budget.”

Spoken like a red-blooded politician.

With these ubiquitous earmarks, SA is capitalizing on a fortuitous situation.

SA receives $196 of the enrollment fee of each student at the start of every academic year. Thanks to relaxed admissions standards and affirmative action, SU’s undergraduate population has increased by nearly 1,600 students since 2007.

DeSalvo estimates SA’s annual budget has increased from $2.1 million to $2.7 million in the same period.

The organization has gotten a gift that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie would scream, shout and belch the ABCs for: un-coerced payments from its superior. Make no mistake, this doesn’t mean SA should gut its bank account to bring Jay-Z, Elvis Presley and Dizzy Gillespie to Mayfest or send the brightest students to the Bilderberg conference.

It’s frivolous to live paycheck to paycheck, but it would be pointless to stick to spending standards that are clearly outdated.

By raising spending, DeSalvo is enhancing the student experience in two pivotal areas.

First, SU’s student organizations are congenital to the school’s reputation as a professional feeder. They foster professional environments unique to a college experience.

NBC broadcaster Bob Costas’ experience at WAER-FM 88.3 propelled him to an early job offer. University Union had a similar grassroots effect on the most powerful music agent in the game, Rob Light.

Goal-oriented students like Costas and Light keep these organizations thriving. Most of us are shallow-pocketed. We depend on our superiors to provide the best resources.

Just last spring, Chancellor Nancy Cantor pushed for a full-scale renovation of the Z89 and Citrus TV studios in Watson Hall.

It’s one thing to learn about society in a classroom. It’s another to experience it on the front lines. The chancellor gets that. DeSalvo and SA are following her lead.

Second, college is still supposed to be fun. Remarkably, Syracuse is simultaneously an arctic tundra and renowned party school.

Not many schools offer its students more I-bet-you-didn’t-have-this-at-your-school bragging opportunities.

When electronic music DJ Avicii headlined Juice Jam in 2011, SU was the first American college at which he or any other major house music star performed. Dave Matthews has performed after some terrific opening acts in his illustrious career, but I’m guessing the Dalai Lama laps the field.

On a campus with limited natural options near a downtrodden city, the students create their social scene. SA money makes that scene thrive.

SA President Allie Curtis said she wanted to “leave a legacy of Student Association truly being ‘students helping students,’” according to an article published in The Daily Orange.

In the race between officials to champion this goal, DeSalvo is the leader in the clubhouse.

True to SA’s slogan, he’s the ultimate student helping students.

Jarrad Saffren is a junior political science and television, radio and film major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at jdsaffre@syr.edu. 

Published on January 23, 2013 at 2:22 am