Editor’s note: The vote count for Resolution 23 was 15 yes, 12 no. Senate President Stephen Kouba referred the resolution to the Committee on Government Oversight, but the senate body resolved to move the resolution to the Tuition and Fees Committee. Matt Barnwell did not comment on the UAB’s reasoning in the article.

On Wednesday night, the Student Senate confirmed it will provide funds to the Union Activities Board to assist with public safety for an upcoming concert; it also tabled a resolution to vote on a student fee referendum.

N.C. State Student Government will provide $3,000 to UAB, which is spearheading efforts to host a free concert by rapper Ludacris on Sept. 17 in Reynolds Coliseum. Student Government will spend $2,500 on student police protection and $500 for student and facility fire protection.

Some Senators Question Vote’s Timing

After some debate, the Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve finance bill 35, dubbed the “Luda Bill” in reference to one of the rapper’s nicknames.

The resolution was fast-tracked and voted on in the same session because the concert will occur before the next Student Senate meeting, said Student Body Treasurer Buddy Bryson, a junior in sociology.

The fast-tracking led some in the Senate to question the situation surrounding the request. Senator Tucker Beeninga, senator in the College of Design and a senior in landscape architecture, asked why the vote occurred so close to event. Matt Barnhill, senator in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and a junior in agriculture education, agreed, wondering why UAB did not ask for the money sooner than this week.

“It seems the UAB … might have started to plan this and then said ‘Hey, we need student government’s help on this one,” said Barnhill.

Senate President Stephen Kouba, a senior in political science, said that the request for funds came 10 days ago, and no money had been promised before the Wednesday vote. He also said that UAB could fund the event without the Senate’s help, “but then it’d be broke.”

That did not sway Jonathan Smith, a senator in CALS and a sophomore in agriculture education who objected strongly and was declared out of order by Kouba.

Others, however, felt that the expense was worth it.

“I think it is important for student government to help sponsor this; it gives students an opportunity to see what government is doing for them. It’s not just some behind the scenes deal,” said Caroline Yopp, a senator in CALS, and a sophomore in agriculture education.

Approximately 25 percent of the student body is expected to attend the event, according to Yopp.

“There’s going to be around 9,000 people there; 9,000 in a school of about 35,000,”  Maybe the concert’s not for everybody, but there will be many students at this event; a lot of people are talking about going to see ‘Luda’.”

“Providing $3,000 to help 9,000 students go to a good concert for free is something worth doing, and something I support,” said John Tucker, Student Senate President Pro Tempore.

Student Fee Referendum on Hold for Now

The Senate also voted not to fast-track Resolution 23, which called for an “act to execute a student fee referendum for the 2010-2011 academic year,” according to the resolution.

“Student participation in recent fee referenda has continued to increase over time and … the student fee referendum is a vital and necessary source of information in the official fee recommendation process,” read the resolution, sponsored by Kyle O’Donnell a senator in the College of Engineering, and a junior in textile technology.

Resolution 35 received 15 no votes and 12 yes votes for fast-tracking. The Senate first referred the resolution to the Committee on Government Oversight, then decided to make the issue the responsibility of the Tuition and Fees Committee.

The vote came after a request from former Senator Michael Robinson, a graduate student in physiology and zoology, for each senator to consider the resolution carefully.

“The student fee referendum is important to me and to all in student government. I really encourage everyone to read the [resolution] carefully; it’s an important way for people in this room to listen to the students, to the people that they represent,” Robinson said.

“It could be one of the most important pieces [of legislation] we vote on all year.”