Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
August 11, 2025
August 11, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

In response to budget cut fears, SGA drafts list of student priorities - SGA names Student Activities Commission, study abroad and student finance as major undergraduate concerns

By Diana Baik | February 25, 2009

In reaction to former President Bill Brody's recent e-mail concerning University budget cuts, the Student Government Association (SGA) is currently brainstorming a list of services most important to Hopkins students, to be presented to the administration.

According to SGA President Prasanna Chandrasekhar, SGA's Executive Council broached the idea of voicing the student body's main concerns to the University administration in an effort to protect student interests during the upcoming slew of budget cuts.

"We are taking precautionary measures in the case that something does happen. It's a way to express student interest and concern," Chandrasekhar said.

"[The budget cuts] are going to end up being difficult decisions, so it is extremely important that we engage in communicating the things that students need."

Annually, the SGA is given $475,000 by the Office of Student Life, headed by Dean of Student Life Susan Boswell.

The SGA then allocates these funds accordingly to groups such as the HOP, Spring Fair, the MSE Symposium and a general Class Council fund.

After allocating various funds, the SGA has approximately $15,000 left over to use for internal affairs such as the Committee on Student Elections.

The SGA members drafted a preliminary list of services pertaining to student interests, with topics such as the Student Activities Commission (SAC), financing financial aid, and study abroad sparking the most discussion.

The SGA agreed to emphasize three main points in the proposal in order to keep the message clear and direct.

Almost immediately, the decision was made to move the SAC budget to the top of the list, in order to emphasize its importance to students.

The SAC is the SGA's funding board and is responsible for allocating money to campus groups, entertainment and other activities.

Junior Class President Marc Perkins stressed the importance of student organizations at Hopkins.

"The only thing that I'm looking for out of this letter is for the school not to reduce SAC funding. Student groups allow students to be more than just study-oriented and help them find ways to be involved on campus," Perkins said.

Financial aid was deemed the other main issue of importance to students, as many have been concerned with reductions in aid in response to budget cuts, and the SGA resolved to place it as the second major point in their list of suggestions.

Other issues of finance, student employment and career services, are to be jointly emphasized with financial aid in the overall topic of student finance.

One of the greatest issues of debate was over the best strategies for SGA to capture the administration's attention.

Katie Collins, who replaced Nate Levy as junior class senator this spring, proposed a "maximum punch" approach, wherein the proposal would only contain suggestions that SGA has considerable sway over, rather than those that may be considered by the administration regardless of student input.

Consequently, there was an overwhelming vote to scrap study abroad as a major third topic, as many programs are not organized directly through the University, and do not cater to the entire student body's interests.

Instead, the SGA planned to include study abroad in a broader third umbrella category of Student Services.

This umbrella category was put forth as a way to emphasize the importance of the first two topics of SAC funding and student finance while being able to voice other topics of student concern that might otherwise have been left out.

However, there has been a lengthy discourse over the proposal's third topic.

Junior Senator Affan Sheikh was opposed to an umbrella category, stating that the SGA needs to "pinpoint what we want to say and be direct about our list. I think that certain issues such as student groups and funding are heavy hitters and should be emphasized. I don't think that a laundry list of things will be very effective; it will be better if we are sure of exactly what we want."

Nick Gilson, sophomore class president, proposed that the third category be a list of items that the student body would not mind conceding.

This suggestion nearly came to a vote. However, sophomore Senators Max Dworin and Justin Waite spoke out against this, arguing that the 30-member SGA is not wholly representative of thousands of Hopkins students and that this risky approach might take away activities that other students truly care about.

The SGA plans to assign an ad hoc committee to finalize the list. Dworin, head of the committee, said that he plans to do his best to preserve the budget allocations that are most important to the student body.

He implored Hopkins students to approach any member of the SGA with input.

Despite the effort put into this proposal, it is possible that the administration may not even consider the SGA's suggestions.

Chandrasekhar said that though the SGA does not officially have any sway over budgetary issues, they would still like an opportunity to comment on behalf of the student body.

"I'm not sure that [the administration] is expecting anything from the student government or that it's on their radar screen," SGA advisor Ralph Johnson said.

Several representatives also voiced concerns.

"I think the administration will read what we have to say, but historically, we haven't had much of a strong voice with them. I hope they will take it well and place a lot of weight on our suggestions," Sheikh said.

Chandrasekhar emphasized that the proposal is not yet concrete and is merely precautionary.

However, as Dworin stated, "budget cuts are not unlikely."

The ad hoc committee aims to have the proposal completed by next Tuesday, and the SGA hopes to present their suggestions to the administration within two weeks.


Have a tip or story idea?
Let us know!

News-Letter Magazine