This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Chris Hebdon
The Student Association Senate passed a bill Monday to crack down on organizations found guilty of hazing or discrimination by taking away at least a third of that group’s budget.
While the bill’s sponsor Sen. Nick Gumas, CCAS-U, said the cut in funding would apply to a “very, very small number” of groups, he said in the past, GW’s response has been too reactionary.
“If a person is found guilty of discrimination by this panel, it is not the type of discrimination that is an accident, it is a thought-out action by an organization,” Gumas, who is also president of Allied in Pride, said. “The point of this is to penalize that sort of environment.”
Associate Danielle Lico, who heads the panel that oversees hazing or discrimination allegations levied against student groups, did not immediately return a request for a comment.
The bill’s only amendment allows umbrella organizations, like the Club Sports Council, to avoid the 33 percent penalty across the board if only one team in the organization is charged. Instead, the umbrella group will dock only that team’s funding.
The bill passed unanimously.
