By Branden LaCroix
News Editor
SGA held a meeting on Zoom April 6 to discuss the funding of the Black Student Union’s (BSU) gala event.
SATF Treasurer Sam Houle said the meeting was called because the funding for the event was approved at the finance committee, but since the funding request exceeds $1,000, SGA needed to review and approve it.
The funding request was for $2,500, which would be used specifically for catering the event. Houle clarified the $2,500 is not the total cost of the event but is to be used specifically for catering.
The event is off campus and has 100 tickets available for FSU students and students from Lasell University.
Houle said approximately 75 FSU students have reserved tickets, with the remaining 25 being for Lasell University students. He added a stipulation for the original funding approval was that tickets be made available to FSU students first before Lasell University students.
He said the amount requested may have “raised some eyebrows,” but because this is an off-campus event, SGA is not restricted to the $500 funding limit for catering on-campus events.
According to Houle, the $500 funding limit is due to a contract the University has with Sodexo for catering on-campus events.
Chelesae Simpson, BSU secretary, said the gala is a talent showcase for FSU students in collaboration with Lasell University.
President Dara Barros said, “I just want to make sure that they're going to be using RamLink to advertise it to FSU students, if we do pass the motion,” and asked what forms of communication BSU would use. Simpson said the event will be advertised over RamLink.
The funding was approved with only Houle abstaining.
The event will take place April 27 at the Framingham Historical Society commons.