Newspaper Page Text
V01. 70, NO. 3
MOREHOUSE COLLEGE; ATLANTA, GEORGIA
Monday, November 11, 1996
By Obinna Eze Lewis
Contributing Writer
With Homecoming
having come and gone,
questions of excessive
spending, logistical mishaps,
and poor execution still loom
among the student body.
After a Maroon Tiger
investigation of the SGA's
handling of Homecoming '96,
students can decide whether
this year's event lived up to
the success story that many
SGA officials proclaimed it to
be.
How Much Was Really Spent?
Foremost among the
speculation surrounding
Homecoming '96 was the
accusation of excessive
spending. However, the
current price tag for this year's
event is comparable to past
years. SGA Treasurer David
Hall explains, "We've spent
$139,800 to date for
Homecoming." In addition,
"Revenues as of Friday,
October 24, were $73,000,"
continues Hall, bringing the
current price tag for
Homecoming to $66,800.
Hall explains further that
the SGA expects additional
revenues of $30,000 while
Joseph Toppin, an accountant
in the Office of Business
Affairs, points out that charges
for wrecked and damaged
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
SGA Deputy Chief of Staff
for planning Stephen Epps X
vehicles and damages to the
Omni Hotel could "possibly"
be applied to the SGA's
account.
As the SGA continues to
compile its Homecoming
figures, Senate Appropriations
SGA President Antonio
Johnson
Chair Ike Umunnah has begun
an internal audit of the SGA's
handling of Homecoming.
2 Enterprise Vehicles Rented: 1
Wrecked, 1 Damaged
Stephen Epps X, Deputy
Chief of Staff for Planning and
Programming, explains that
two vehicles were rented from
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
because the "SGA did not
want to put wear and tear on
their own cars," However, the
first vehicle, a Volvo, was
totaled by Epps X while
changing lanes on Northside
Drive, and the second vehicle,
a van, was returned with a
damaged door.
Jan McAfee, a
representative from Enterprise
who is handling the claim,
explains that "someone is
going to be responsible for the
damages to the vehicles." The
SGA blames Ashley Smith,
Deputy Chief of Staff for
Operations, who was
mysteriously fired and rehired
after the completion of
Homecoming. After being
informed of Enterprise's
course of action, Smith
maintains, "Until I speak with
her personally, I can't really
comment on any of her
statements."
Although some SGA
officials, including Antonio
Johnson, drove the vehicle
without authorization, the
SGA continues to point the
finger solely at Ashley Smith.
"[The vehicles] were not
something the SGA rented. It
was something that an
individual [Ashley Smith]
rented," contends Antonio
Johnson. However, Dean
Bellamy, advisor to the SGA,
explains the vehicles were
rented in Smith's name only
because several SGA loaner
cars had fallen through.
When asked whether
Enterprise would pursue the
College or Ashley Smith,
McAfee responded "the
College" because the rental car
company has a "Corporate
account set up with
Morehouse." She also said
that neither the insurance nor
damage waiver will be
applicable because of a
violation in the contract by
SGA officials. The contract
stated, "Employees must be
over 25," she continued.
The Gospel Concert:
Whose Offering Is It?
During the first Gospel
Concert, two offerings were
announced. The
first offering was
called for by
Jawanza Colvin
for Ring
Memorial
Church. The
second was
issued by
Antonio Johnson
for the Defense
Fund set up for
the Morehouse
students
imprisoned for
alleged rape.
However, both
offerings were
confiscated by the SGA, with
proceeds being turned over to
the defense fund.
"That was an SGA event.
It was never discussed that
any organization would get
any proceeds from any event
that we do. It was incorrect of
Jawanza Colvin to accept or
announce an offering for the
Chapel Assistants," says
Antonio Johnson. However,
Kevin Ross, Chair of the Board
of Deacons for King Memorial
Church, explains that if the
first offering was illegal "he
[Jawanza Colvin] should have
been interrupted ... or
corrected [by SGA officials]."
The SGA currently refuses
to give the Chapel more than
a third of the first offering
which totaled to $352.00
although Antonio Johnson
states, "It doesn't make sense
for us to argue over three
hundred damn dollars when
we have hundreds of
thousands of dollars at stake
in our own damn budget."
Kevin Ross, who is responsible
for fiscal matters relating to
King Chapel states, "We are
not going to accept that
percentage." "There is an
alleged offering missing, [and]
we are going to have to take
them [the SGA] to court
eventually for
misappropriation of funds,"
continues Ross.
'After Party' and 'After
Damages' at the Omni:
In a manner similar to
other events, the SGA admits
to logistical mishaps during
the October 19 After Party at
the Omni Hofei thrown in
conjunction with Omega Psi
Phi Fraternity and Delta Sigma
Theta Sorority. Although they
expected only 2,000 students,
nearly 7,000 to 8,000 attempted
to enter the party. Antonio
Johnson admits that SGA
Security personnel were not
on site until after the event
began because another
Homecoming event was still in
progress.
Continued on pg 3
SGA Chief of Staff Rod Hardoman
See related story on strained relationship between
the SGA Executive Board and the Student Senate
on page 4
All Photo Illustrations by:
Butcher One and the 35mm Assassin