The Justice

Media Credit: Max Breitstein Matza Union Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '09 speaks to Union President Jason Gray '10 prior to the speech.

Student Union President Jason Gray '10 delivered his State of the Union address last night, in which he focused on the idea of students working with one another and with administrators to create a unified community based on strong communication and partnership.

Gray said that the Union, once "a place for ego and infighting," has now reinvented itself and created a culture where members are "passionate to work together to improve this University."

He said that the Student Union has strengthened its relations with administrators in the face of a $10 million University budget shortfall.

The Student Union is forming a Budget Advisory Committee, whose members will work with administrators to "ensure that any [budget] cuts that would impact students are as minimal … as possible," he said.

"[Club leaders] are frustrated about the lack of available funds [due to the budget cuts]," Gray said. He stressed that sacrifices in student club budgets will have to be made due to the economic crisis.

However, he revealed that the Union has "worked to make additional money available for clubs and organizations" through the conversion of the capital expenditure fund into a reserve fund.

Gray reminded the audience that other changes have been made to the Union's financial system. He said that last year the Union allocated to clubs Student Activities Fee funds that had rolled over each year from 2003 and 2007. He said students voted last year to spend over $100,000 in remaining rollover funds on a renovated weight room, whose equipment will be installed over winter break.

He later told the Justice that the rollover money could not have been used to facilitate club needs due to the agreement invoked by the previous Union government and the University.

Gray also spoke about the newly formed Committee on Endowment Ethics and Responsibility, which will make recommendations to the University administration and the Board of Trustees regarding the University's investment choices.

"It is important for the Brandeis student community to be involved in these decisions, as well," he said.

Continued...

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