Early Thursday afternoon, the president of Sub-Board I, Inc. gave a formal response challenging a letter read by Graduate Student Association President Janine Santiago at the Sept. 3 SBI Board of Directors meeting, which called for negotiations in the current agreements between GSA and SBI.
The GSA concerns ranged from adequate representation of the graduate student population on SBI's Board of Directors to GSA fees to the corporation, which Santiago feels are too high for the amount of graduate student use of SBI services.
Santiago declined to comment on SBI's response letter, saying that she had not had the time to read it Thursday afternoon but would have the GSA lawyer look at it.
"The (Sept. 3) letter was a way of trying to call attention to say, look, there's something wrong with this picture," said Santiago.
In the opening of the response letter, SBI President Lars Hansen stated the board "discussed a number of issues and concerns pertaining to the misinformation, accusations and claims in (Santiago's) letter" and after reviewing the contents, "It seems that some points of clarification are in order."
Santiago's letter stated that, "With the election of three undergraduate Sub-Board I, Inc. officers, in addition to the four pre-existing Board member positions, the undergraduate constituency has an overwhelming influence on the policies and the governance of the corporation."
According to Hansen, Santiago was incorrect about the number of undergraduate positions on the board.
Of the 14 board positions, undergraduates hold six and graduates hold three. This makes a total of 42.86 percent of the Board represented by undergraduates, while 61.86 percent of the total student population is undergraduates.
Graduate students hold 21.43 percent of the representation, while the graduate student population comprises 24.39 percent of the total student body.
"To be honest with you, they have more representation than anyone else,' said Hansen. "They hold three seats on the board . for what they pay into it, they get more representation."
The remaining seats are held by five representatives: one each from Millard Fillmore College, Dental SA, Medical Polity, School of Management and Student Bar.
Currently, GSA pays a fee of $6.20 per student, which goes toward accounting and student services such as SBI's group legal services, the SBI Pharmacy in Michael Hall, UB Medical Insurance, counseling through Health Education and Human Services, and the Anti-Rape Task Force.
Santiago said the graduate students only use the group legal services, medical insurance and pharmacy, and thus should not have to pay for services not used.
"Many of the services provided by Sub-Board I have little use or appeal to graduate students," stated Santiago's letter.
"You can't pick and choose what services you want," Hansen said. "You either have them all or you don't."
Included in SBI's response was a letter from Ellen Christensen, director of Health Education and Human Services, to William Hooley, executive director of SBI.
"I have just heard that the Graduate Student Association is considering pulling out of Sub Board I, Inc," Christenson stated. "I am concerned because that would mean that graduate students would no longer be able to avail themselves of our services."
Santiago said that GSA's letter was not a threat to the safety of SBI, but was merely a jumping off point for discussions.
"In no way I wanted to attack SBI," Santiago said. "I was only questioning the amount of money charged under the services contract."
While no changes have been made to current SBI funds, contracts or services, Hansen said that board would review SBI's rules and regulations.
"As of right now, we're addressing the by-laws with all the student governments, and we're seeing the best way of representation on the board, whereas every student government has a fair share," said Hansen.
Hansen said the by-laws of SBI have not been revised in over 10 years, and while Santiago's letter did not prompt any discussions, it did hasten them.
