On Mar. 17, Suffolk County Police raided a party on the suspicion of underage alcohol consumption. Some organizers of the party were confirmed members of the Stony Brook Men’s and Women’s Rugby team. The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has sent a resolution expressing support and solidarity for the Rugby team.
The Rugby team is funded through the Student Activity Fee, not the Stony Brook Administration. The Student Activity Fee, paid for by all undergraduate students, is distributed through the USG. For example, it gives the student newspapers the power to write without administration oversight.
It is the opinion of Senator and Vice President-elect Nathan Shapiro that the administration has stepped out of bounds.’ Shapiro stated, ‘The Undergraduate Student Government funds the Rugby team, and if any decision is made on the suspension of club funding it should be made by the student representatives. And if the University wishes to inflict punishment upon the sports teams it should first carry the burden of funding them.’
‘The Rugby team has condemned the actions of all those responsible, denied official participation and organization, and has offered its full cooperation with investigative authorities,’ said USG Recording Secretary Esam Al-Shareffi.
‘I cannot possibly see how potentially hundreds of Stony Brook students should be affected by the actions of a few,’ said Senator and President Pro Tempore Robert Romano.
It is obvious to the USG that these are the actions of a few members of the team, and not an act of the whole or of even a majority. As the resolution asserts ‘such actions by the Administration constitute an act of ‘collective punishment,’ abhorrent to due process and justice.’
President John Gemma of the Men’s Rugby Team was tentative to comment, ‘this thing is almost over, I just want to get this thing resolved.’ He was unhappy that this happened at an inopportune time, ‘we missed parents weekend game against Columbia.’ He touched upon the fact that invitations were already sent out for the game and it was very embarrassing for this to happen.
Senator Romano wanted to stress the Senate’s point, ‘I believe as far as funding goes, that is a determination that the USG should make. There’s been no due process, I’m curious as to how the organization can be held responsible. Are they being brought to the University non-academic judiciary?’ Romano further added, ‘they have forced our hand to de-fund them, I think the Senate did the right thing by telling the University that they’re preaching too far.’
Al-Shareffi is due to present the injustices to Dean Stein, who will act as the Administration Representative in the meeting this Friday.
