The proposed removal of three permanent seats held by prominent Kent State student organizations sparked heated discussions Friday afternoon during the Allocation Committee’s second ad hoc meeting.

Business and Finance Senator Sean Groves proposed eliminating the three permanent seats in the Allocations Committee held by the All Campus Programming Board, Inter-Greek Programming Board and Black United Students.

Instead, Groves said the committee would consist of eight at-large members and a senator appointed by the Undergraduate Student Senate.

“I don’t see how it is fair these groups have permanent seats and others do not,” he said.

Groves proposed allowing only one executive board member from any student organization to be seated on the committee. Racial diversity and fairness were the key issues debated concerning the proposed changes.

Committee member Donovan Hill said the split among members’ opinions is unavoidable.

“The winner will be judged not by us, but by future students,” he said.

The committee postponed the discussion to further investigate the history of the permanent seats in the Allocations Committee.

Executive Director Ross Miltner also proposed changing the block funding that ACPB receives from USS to a flat fee of $200,000 rather than 54 percent of the annual budget.

Miltner said the changes would prevent ACPB from acting as a secondary Allocations Committee because the flat fee would only cover the expenses for the organization’s three major events – BlastOff!, Homecoming and Flashfest – and one additional concert.

ACPB would receive funding for smaller programs through the Allocations Committee.

The ad hoc process will resume at the next allocation committee meeting Friday, February 23 at 4 p.m. in the governance chambers of the Student Center.

Contact student politics reporter Jackie Valley at [email protected].