FAMU’s E.T.U Receives SGA money for reimbursements

Florida A&M University Essential Theatre Union received $3,327.50 from the student senate Monday for funds to assist with them in their past and upcoming events.

Kenidee Webster, first-year business and administrator student and freshman student senator, represented the Essential Theatre Union. They requested  $7,342.50 in special allocation to sponsor upcoming events and to reimburse past events.

After the first reading of the Essential Theatre Union bill, the student allocated $3,324.50 to cover upcoming events, cutting their bill funding by $4,000.

Webster discussed the reason why the Essential Theatre Union bill was cut due to a lack of communication between student government officials and student government staff and the Essential Theatre Union.

“From my understanding Mr. Pride, president of the Essential Theatre Union, came up and presented his request in front of the OFC committee and they later told him that he will be eligible to receive reimbursement but of course the senate doesn’t promise any money before it is voted upon,” Webster said. “However, what he was promised that he will be eligible to ask and when the bill hit the senate for it Monday evening he was not eligible to ask..

She stressed how she didn’t think it was fair and that she think that this is something that the student government as a whole need to work on. By making sure communication across the board is legitimate and just.

“I don’t want to say I wasted Mr. Pride time, but I definitely got his hopes up representing him and his organization. However, I am not the body that told him reimbursements were available I am just a representation,” Webster said.

Graduating Senior Theatre Performance and President, Terrence Pride described his experience with the student senate to be unorganized.

“Far as the student senate, they are very unorganized, they need to have a better communication system between themselves. It is really embarrassing to witness them in front of the student body, unorganized,” Pride said.

He also expressed his thoughts about senator Webster, saying although they were misguided with the information they received from the student board; she did a good job representing them.

“You have certain students that are part of the senate that are very passionate about their jobs and their real concerns are for the students and I believe Senator Webster embodies that,” Pride said.

Essential Theatre Union treasurer, Zaylin Yates, a fourth-year double major in theatre performance and business administration described the budget cut from the student senate as “crazy.”  

“Students are always boasting about how they love the shows and complain about how we should do more. In all, we will love to do more but every time our budget gets cut that lessens our chances to put on a production of quality,” Yates said.

He also expressed he feel like the Essential theatre union is over looked, which played a big part of the budget cut along with the miscommunication.  

“I definitely will start going more to the senate meetings to get our voice heard more with the student government,” Yates said.